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diff --git a/old/54814.txt b/old/54814.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 370c621..0000000 --- a/old/54814.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3520 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Miller's Mind training for children Book 1, by -William E. Miller - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Miller's Mind training for children Book 1 - A practical training for successful living; Educational - games that train the senses - -Author: William E. Miller - -Release Date: May 30, 2017 [EBook #54814] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MILLER'S MIND TRAINING *** - - - - -Produced by MFR, David E. Brown and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from images made available by the HathiTrust -Digital Library.) - - - - - - - - - - MILLER'S - MIND TRAINING - _for_ - CHILDREN - - _A Practical Training - for Successful - Living_ - - _Educational Games - That Train - the Senses_ - - WILLIAM E. MILLER - _AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER_ - Alhambra, California. - - - - - BY - WILLIAM E. MILLER - ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA - - AUTHOR OF - _The Natural Method of Memory Training_ - - COPYRIGHT 1920 - COPYRIGHT 1921 - - WILLIAM E. MILLER - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - INCLUDING FOREIGN COPYRIGHTS - - - - - CONTENTS--BOOK ONE - - - Page - - A First Word to Readers 7 - - Training the Senses 9 - - Game of Hide the Watch 11 - - Results of Sense Training 12 - - To Develop the Sense of Touch 16 - The Game of the Button Bag 17 - The Game of Matching Cards 18 - The Game of Insets 18 - The Game of the Rag Bag 19 - The Game of the Dry Goods Clerk 19 - The Game of Who Is It? 20 - The Game of Weighing 20 - Measuring 21 - - Training the Ear 22 - The Game of Whispering 23 - The Game of Tapping 23 - The Game Speak and I'll Name You 23 - The Game of Silence 24 - The Game of Drop It 24 - A Musical Exercise 25 - The Game of Blind Man's Ears 25 - The Game of Telephoning 26 - The Bell Game 27 - The Game of Stop Thief 27 - The Table Game 28 - Care of the Ears 28 - - Training the Sense of Sight 29 - Strive for More Detail 30 - Training the Eye to Measure 32 - The Game of Measuring 33 - - The Sense of Taste and Smell 37 - - Using Two of the Senses 38 - Exercise for Two Senses 38 - - Improvement from Conscious Effort 40 - - The Faculty of Visualization 41 - A Visual Test 41 - - Visual Process Natural 42 - - Training the Mind's Eye 43 - The Picture Test 43 - Test for Quick Reaction 43 - Test for Color Reaction 44 - Test for Order 44 - The Letter Game 45 - The Number Game 47 - Practice with Geometrical Figures 48 - Out of Door Game 49 - Immediate Visualization 50 - - Training of Younger Children 51 - - Developing the Observation 52 - - Value of Observation 55 - - The Neglected Faculty 56 - Picture Cards for Observation 59 - Counting from Mind's Eye Pictures 59 - The Game of Quick Counting 61 - The Game of Visual Counting 62 - Reproducing the Visual Picture 63 - The Game of Color Cards 63 - The Game of Picture Cards 64 - The Seeing Game 65 - The Game of Detective 66 - A Game at the Dining Table 66 - The Change About Game 67 - The Game of Observation 67 - - Training the Sense of Location 68 - The Game of Guide 69 - The Game of Guiding Home 69 - Make Play Profitable 70 - - Attention and Concentration 72 - Exercise for Prolonging Attention 73 - Divided Attention 75 - The Degree of Attention 77 - Expectant Attention 77 - Cure for Diverted Attention 78 - - Parent Is Child's Interpreter 79 - - What Is Concentration? 80 - - Exercise for Concentration 80 - The Construction of a Home 81 - The Farmer and His Farm 82 - The Farmer and His Crop 83 - The Growing Plant 83 - - The Imagination 85 - Test for Visual Reproduction 86 - A Universally Useful Faculty 87 - Children's Falsehoods 88 - Reality of Illusions 89 - Imagination a Curse or Blessing 90 - Dissipating the Imagination 90 - Exercises for the Imagination 91 - The Story Games 91 - The Game of Creation 92 - The Picture Gallery 94 - - The Power of Suggestion 97 - Indirect Suggestion 101 - Indirect Positive Suggestion 101 - - Health Habits 105 - Deep Breathing 106 - Drinking Water 107 - Rest and Sleep 108 - Thinking Health 109 - Ambition Pulls 111 - - - - -A FIRST WORD TO READERS - - -Many requests from parents for a simple method of training children to -think and remember have prompted this series of books on "Mind Training -for Children." - -Play is the child's great objective and this is capitalized in -the methods used in presenting this subject. There are over fifty -interesting games and as many exercises, all of which are based upon -scientific principles. These will not only interest and amuse the -children, but will result in the development of their senses and -faculties. This will lead naturally to the improvement of the memory. - -In the last book all this advancement is applied to the child's studies -and school problems. Parents should read these books and use the ideas -according to the ages of the children. Older children can read and -apply the principles for themselves, but should be encouraged and -guided by the parents. - -Here is a great boon to mothers who need assistance in entertaining the -children in the house or out of doors. For rainy days and children's -parties there is a never-ending source of pleasure and continual profit -in these Mind Training Games. - -No equipment is required. All games and exercises are so planned that -they are easily made of materials already in the home. The making of -the games will interest the children for hours. - -Sense training is fundamental to profitable education. - -Memory is the storehouse of all knowledge--see that your child has a -good one. - -You can give your children a wonderful advantage by playing these games -with them. They have the indorsement of educators. They are scientific, -but simple and "lots of fun." - - THE AUTHOR. - - - - -TRAINING THE SENSES - - -All through life you are accumulating knowledge, and storing it away -for future usefulness. This knowledge becomes yours through one -process, which is a series of impressions carried to your brain by the -nerves connecting it with the sense organs of your body. - -The future value of this knowledge will depend largely upon the -accuracy of the first sense impression. If the sense impression is dim -and indefinite the resulting knowledge will be uncertain and useless. -If the sense impression is inaccurate the resulting knowledge will be -an error and cause a mistake in judgment. The senses are the tools, by -the use of which the mind accumulates the knowledge which it uses in -memory, thought, judgment, imagination, and all the mental operations. - -Professor W. Prior says: "The foundation of all mental development is -the activity of the senses." - -The first step in mental growth is the making of impressions on the -brain by the senses. The senses are the instruments by the use of which -all knowledge is acquired. - - =Sense training is the logical beginning of all Education.= - -You give your child an education to help him to succeed in life. First -give him sharp tools--keen senses--that he may get the best results -from the time spent in study. - -An understanding of the proper use of the senses will enable you to -make these impressions lasting--instead of fleeting. - - =Lack of ability to properly use the senses is a handicap in life - and a subtle foe to success.= - -In the beginning all the brain does is to store the simple sense -impressions. The baby sees his mother many times before he recognizes -her. The eye nerve carries to the brain the picture of the mother's -face and stores it there. Soon the brain perceives the similarity and -the child recognizes her. The fact that in some way the brain retains -the first, second, third, etc., impressions becomes the foundation of -recognition. - -If the sense nerve failed to carry the image of the face there would be -no comparison and no recognition. Without sense impression there can be -no knowledge. Imperfect sense impressions can only result in imperfect -knowledge. - -Each set of sense nerves carries its impressions to a different area of -the brain. Each set has a distinct and localized memory. The ear memory -is the auditory memory. There is the gustatory memory of taste; the -olfactory memory of smell, and the tactual memory of touch. - -The visual memory is the most accurate and lasting. The nerves -connecting the eyes with the brain are many times larger than those of -the other sense organs. Psychological tests have also proven the eye to -be the most accurate of all the senses. Next to the eye comes the ear -in both strength and exactness. - - -Sense Training Games - -The training of the senses, important and necessary as it is, can be -accomplished in a most entertaining and pleasant manner. The playing of -games, so necessary in the life of children, can in most cases be used -as the agency to gain this result. - - -Game of Hide the Watch - -You can entertain your children for an hour with this game and at the -same time, even without their knowledge, be training one of their most -important senses. - -Go into a quiet room and hide a watch where it will be out of sight but -in a place where the ticking will be plainly audible. If the children -are small it will be well to start with a small clock, or a watch which -ticks loudly. Now let the children come into the room and, standing -perfectly still, try to locate the watch by hearing it tick. Let them -move around, but very quietly, so as not to disturb the others; or let -all move at one time. - -When one of them has located the watch allow that child to remain and -assist you in hiding it for the others. A record can be kept to see who -finds the watch the most often. One child must not be allowed to move -noisily, or in any way disturb the efforts of the others. See to it -that they use their ears and not their eyes; it will even be well to -blindfold them. - - -Results of Sense Training - -That the senses can be trained every one will at once admit. The world -is full of examples, as the Indian savage with his keen sight and -hearing. You may think this a natural born ability but there are many -examples to prove the contrary. The American scouts, some of whom have -gone into the Indian country when they were grown men, have become -almost as proficient as the Indians themselves. - -This fact of the unusual ability of the Indian is true today as well as -in the story periods of the past. On a recent camping and canoeing trip -through the lakes of Canada, it was a common occurrence for the Indian -guide to say, "Washkeesh," meaning deer. No one in the party could -see the animal, but the Indian would point out the exact spot, and as -the party canoed silently along the shores the deer would soon become -visible to all. - -This training of the Indian was brought about largely by necessity. -It was required for the preservation of his life. The same is true of -the white man who has gone into the Indian's country. If we were all -driven by the same necessity we would have the same keenly developed -senses. - -Prof. Magnusson says: "There is affecting our senses what may be called -the disease of civilization. Civilized man does not have to use his -senses." Let the realization of the importance of the ability spur you -to conscious effort to secure this result for your children. It can be -done by playing the games which are to follow--it is of great value. - -Prof. Gates has demonstrated that by exercising one of the senses we -actually build up brain matter. A child who is helped to cultivate -the sense of sight will not only make more brain cells in the visual -areas but will also make more brain generally; for the sense of sight -correlates with all other areas of the brain. This is a result well -worth striving for. - -There are many other examples in the different trades of today. The -Tea and Wine tasters have a very fine sense of taste and smell. The -jeweler has a well developed sense of hearing so that he can detect -irregularities in the ticking of a clock that are imperceptible to most -of us. Makers of telescope lenses complete the smoothing of the surface -by rubbing them with the fingers, being able in this way to detect the -slightest roughness. The blind have a very fine sense of feeling and -hearing. Deaf people often have a keen sense of sight. - - =Necessity and Desire are the parents of all progress and - development.= - -You will notice that in all of these cases there are these two -impelling motives which have caused this great improvement. Create -in the child the desire to be unusual in this regard. Show him that -the highest success of life necessitates this development. Also that -in every case it comes as the result of individual effort. The one -possessing this unusual capacity acquired it only as the result of his -own continued practice. The senses cannot be developed in a day. They -CAN be developed, however, if you will make any reasonable effort. - - =The child will attach most value to that which gives him the - greatest pleasure.= - -This is a fact which you must keep in mind throughout all your efforts -in child training. Whenever possible make the exercises into games -and make them interesting. Do not work so long with one idea that it -becomes tiresome or tedious to the child. Add anything that suggests -itself to you that will give variety. When the child seems to be losing -interest or paying only partial attention, vary the game or change to -some other. In all the exercises it is helpful to note the results and -keep careful watch of the progress made. Have competitive trials and -championship records; always keep some incentive for further effort -before him. - - -Encourage Individualism - -Each child should be a rule unto himself. Do not encourage or strive -for uniformity of desire or result in your children. Let them reveal -those distinctive characteristics with which they are endowed and then -encourage and assist them in their development. - -A child will excel in some things and possibly be deficient in others. -He will naturally wish to play most often that game in which he does -best. Do not deny this game, but use it as a reward, when the child -does well the thing he most needs. Use the promise to play it as an -inducement to get him to do the more necessary or difficult exercise -first. - -Even in cases where the children are old enough to use these books -themselves, parents should keep an oversight of the games used, to -see that all of their senses, and especially the eye and the ear, are -developed. - -An all around development is most necessary. When parents join the game -let it be an opportunity to introduce and encourage the most needed -exercises. - - =Training the senses will result in greater ability in all mental - operations throughout life.= - - =A few moments' daily use of the games and exercises in these - books will attain the result.= - -There is one principal instruction, that is--MAKE AN EFFORT--TRY. - -Then persist, try again, let failure spur you to greater effort. Only -he who continues to try, after others have tried and given up, will win -the prize of success. - - - - -TO DEVELOP THE SENSE OF TOUCH - - -The child should be taught to determine the degree of smoothness, size, -shape, quality (of cloth), and many other things of value by touch. You -can give an experienced dry goods clerk a piece of cloth and he can -tell without looking at it what kind it is, and about what grade. This -is entirely a matter of development upon the part of the clerk. When he -began this work he could not tell muslin from long-cloth. - -Parents will get a good idea of what is going on in the child's mind, -and the training he is receiving by watching the little fingers work -in all these exercises for the development of the sense of touch. Try -the exercises yourself and see what is required to do them accurately. -In this way you will be better able to help the child. Washing the -hands in tepid water before the exercises of touch will increase -the sensitiveness of the fingers. Have the child touch lightly with -the pads at the ends of the fingers. Increase the difficulty of the -exercises as he progresses. - -=Exercise=--Blindfold the child and hand him articles which are -somewhat familiar and have him tell, by feeling, what they are. Have -him describe them. If a knife, what kind of a knife it is. If a box, -what kind of a box it is--about how long? how wide? how high? If -you ask the child to give these estimates in inches after removing -the blindfold have him make the actual measurements. Have the child -describe the article, giving all the details possible, and find any -peculiarities or irregularities by feeling. - -=Exercise=--Give the child an article with which he is not familiar and -have him describe it. See how much he can learn by touch alone. Then -let him see if he can learn any more by sound, by knocking the article -against something to determine what it is made of, whether solid or -hollow, etc. - -=Exercise=--Give the child, while blindfolded, a book which he has -recently read and see if he can identify it by the size, shape, -thickness, and quality of paper. - - -The Game of the Button Bag - -From your button bag select a number of different buttons, two of -each kind. Let the child sort out the pairs and thus become somewhat -familiar with the sizes and shapes. Then mix the buttons, blindfold the -child, and let him match the pairs entirely by feeling. Have him lay -them out in pairs as he matches them. Then take off the blindfold and -let him see them just as he has matched them, and count for himself how -many are right and how many wrong. - - -Game of Matching Cards - -Take a piece of cardboard and cut it into many shapes, as suggested by -the illustration below. Make two pieces of each figure exactly alike. -Let the child match them and see that there are two of each kind. Then -mix them, blindfold him and have him pick out the pairs by feeling. -There should be at least 12 sets--more if desired. - -[Illustration] - - -Animal Cookies - -A similar game to the one above can be played with a box of animal -cookies. Pour the cookies out on a large plate. Blindfold the children -and let them select pairs of animals or as many of a kind as possible. -Let them name the animals by feeling. - - -Game of Insets - -The expensive Insets used by the Montessori School can be -satisfactorily made out of heavy cardboard and accomplish the desired -result. Take a piece of cardboard of good thickness and draw on it some -of the figures illustrated above. After they are cut out with a sharp -knife, smooth the edges so that they will fit easily into the places -from which they came. The cardboard from which they are cut may be -fastened to another or tacked to a thin board. The game is to blindfold -the child, give him the cutouts and by the sense of touch let him find -the proper hole and fit the piece into it. As the pieces are fitted -into their places they may be left there until the board is filled. -This exercise is a little more difficult than most of the others. -Encourage the child to keep at it. - - -The Game of the Rag Bag - -Cut a number of pieces of different kinds of cloth. Show them to the -child and have him feel of them and become acquainted with the pieces -so as to know them by name. Blindfold him and give him one of the -pieces of cloth and have him tell by feeling what kind it is. Put all -the pieces in the rag bag (any large bag will do). Blindfold the child -again and let him pick out the kind of cloth you name. See how many -he can get correctly. Have him choose velvet, silk, satin, calico, -muslin, broadcloth, etc., using all the common varieties of cloth. -Children need not be blindfolded if the bag is held so they cannot see. -Blindfolding increases the curiosity and thus the interest in the games. - - -The Game of Dry Goods Clerk - -Cut from the scraps in your rag bag two pieces each of all the -different kinds of cloth that can be found there. Make the pieces about -two by four inches and have them all of one size and shape. Let the -child examine them and match them in pairs. Have him feel of them and -see that they all feel different. Do not have more than two pieces of -any one kind of cloth. Pay no attention to color. Now mix the pieces in -a pile on the table, blindfold the child and seat him in front of them. -Have him match the pieces by feeling and lay each aside. When finished, -have the child look at the pairs as matched, counting for himself the -points won. - - -The Game of--Who Is It? - -Blindfold two or three children. Silently select one of the others to -be identified by the blindfolded children by means of touch. Let the -blindfolded ones feel of the child--his hair, face, clothes and shoes. -In this way see which one will first be able to name him. To win this -game depends a great deal on the child's observation of what the other -children are wearing. The game of Blind Man's Buff is similar and good, -but usually has a good deal of sound to assist the one guessing. - - -The Game of--Weighing - -Get a pair of scales and let the child weigh anything he wishes. Let -him learn to accurately judge a pound, then to estimate the weight -of an article before placing it upon the scales. Teach the child -comparative weights by lifting articles and determining which is the -heavier. Encourage him to make a pair of balances with which he can -balance one object against the other after he has compared them by -holding one in each hand. Many variations can be easily made of these -ideas, to help the child to become accurate in estimating weights. All -practice will be more interesting if there is a record made, and the -spirit of competition is introduced. - - -Measuring - -Give the child a measure--quart or pint--and let him learn to estimate -the capacity of the different utensils of the kitchen. He should in -this manner become able to judge accurately the contents of different -containers. The child should learn to estimate in pecks, bushels, etc. -This is good exercise and a valuable ability for later life. - -Let the games given here suggest new ones to be used; any factor which -will vary or add to the game is valuable. Keep always in mind the fact -that the highest usefulness of the games is training the senses to be -more accurate. - - - - -TRAINING THE EAR - - -This is a very important sense; consider its relation to memory and how -your decisions and judgments are based upon things you have heard or -thought you heard. - -Psychological tests have revealed the fact that the ear of the -average person is mistaken thirty-four per cent of the time. Think -of it--one-third of your ear impressions are mistaken. The resulting -memory, judgment and action must suffer. This is true largely because -of lack of a conscious effort to develop this important sense. - - -A Test Exercise - -Have the child stand across the room and listen for the tick of a -watch which you hold in your hand. If he cannot hear the tick, advance -slowly toward him and keep track of the distance at which the child -first distinguishes the ticking. It will be interesting to test each -ear separately. Any physical defect in the child's hearing can be found -by this test. Encourage him to make a deliberate effort to hear the -watch. Do not be too hasty in moving towards him as he will have to -concentrate his attention before the tick can be heard. This exercise -is a good one for the development of attention. Practice with this -yourself. You will find as your attention wanders that you will lose -the consciousness of the ticking of the watch. - - -The Game of Whispering - -Have the child stand across the room or several feet away. Whisper a -word and see if he can repeat it. Encourage him to try a little more -and to be more quiet; then whisper the same word but no louder. Work -with this exercise, increasing the tone gradually until the child -distinguishes what is said. Then whisper other words and sentences. -This exercise can be lengthened and is excellent for the development of -attention and memory as well as of hearing. - - -The Game of Tapping - -Sit at a table and with a pencil or your finger tap upon it a -certain number of times, during which there are irregular intervals, -for example--four taps--interval--two taps--interval--five -taps--interval--one tap. - -Now see if the child can reproduce the correct number of taps and -intervals. This can be varied in innumerable ways. For older children -tap a familiar tune and see who can recognize it. Let the winner tap a -tune for the others to recognize. - - -The Game--Speak and I'll Name You - -Blindfold one child and have the others sit or stand around him in a -circle. Turn the blindfolded one around a few times and let him point -to anyone, saying: "Speak and I'll name you." The child designated, in -a natural voice says, "Yes, sir." The one blindfolded has two chances -to guess from the sound of the voice who the person is. If he guesses -correctly he is released, if not, he must pay a forfeit. The person -pointed out must be blindfolded and take the next turn. Forfeits may be -redeemed in any manner desired. The game "Ruth and Jacob," familiar to -everyone, is a good game of sound. - - -The Game of Silence - -For developing self-control and relaxation, have the children practice -silence. Have them relax and show them that the movement of a foot or -a hand makes a slight noise. Have them listen to their breathing, and -then breathe just as quietly as they can. Drop a pin and have those -who heard it put up their hands. Let them become perfectly quiet again -and drop several pins for them to count. See who is the most accurate. -In all your instructions to them only whisper. Do not allow them to -talk or whisper at all during this exercise. As you use it prolong -the periods of silence and attention to one sound or idea. This is a -wonderful exercise for the development of the power of concentration -and should be played often. - - -The Game of Drop It - -Have the children sit quietly in a room; have several different -articles in your hands and drop them one at a time, on the table. Have -the children sitting with their backs to the table and determine by the -sound what you have dropped. For this exercise you can use a bunch of -keys, coins, pencil, knife, books, ball--anything that is available. - -After they have become somewhat acquainted with the articles by sound, -drop the different objects in different places, moving quietly about -so that the children can only determine from the sound what you have -dropped, and where you dropped it. For example, drop the book on the -rug, the keys on the floor, the pencil on the tiles of the hearth, -the coin on the table, the keys on the mantel. After each object is -dropped, see which child can tell what was dropped and where. This will -teach them to recognize the object and its location by sound. Do not -overlook the value of competition--keep a score. - - -A Musical Exercise - -The child should be taught to recognize tones, and the spaces between -tones of the scale. Have him stand with his back to the piano and learn -to tell the difference in the tones that are played. First, use the -octave, then the one-five-eight. Next the one-three-five eight; then -the one-two three, etc. Then introduce the half-tones. This exercise -can be made more difficult according to age and musical ability. - - -The Game of Blind Man's Ears - -Have the child blindfolded and sitting quietly on the porch and tell -all the sounds he hears. The blindfold will add to the interest and -fun, at the same time insure his dependence upon the sense of hearing. -Let him tell what is approaching; if persons are walking, how many? If -a vehicle is coming, how many horses, and what kind of a vehicle? Let -him learn to distinguish automobiles by sound, large cars from small -ones, trucks from pleasure cars. - -Strive for recognition of the slightest sound, a distant bird, etc. Try -to estimate the distance from which the sound is coming. - -Take the child into the woods, teach him to distinguish the sounds of -the different animals, and if possible to locate the distance and to -estimate the location. On the ground, in a bush, or up a tree? - -Anything which stimulates the child to hear keenly and accurately is -of value. Let the exercise be adapted to the time and place. When he -remarks "How quiet it is here," it is a good time for him to realize -how many sounds are actually going on around him. - - -The Game of Telephoning - -Give each child a pencil and paper and have them sit in a row or in -different parts of the room equally distant from the spot selected for -the "operator." - -Make a list of words; later on short sentences can be used; have the -operator take these and sit about twelve feet from the children. Let -the operator whisper "Hello," just loud enough for the children to -hear distinctly. The children can raise their hands when they "get the -connection," or hear the "Hello," but should not be allowed to speak -during the game. - -The operator will then whisper the words in the list slowly, using the -same volume of sound as in the "Hello," giving time between words for -each child to write them. At the conclusion correct the lists, each -child being scored for the number of words heard correctly. During this -game all instructions should be given in whisper, and perfect quiet -maintained among the children. - - -The Bell Game - -Have all the children sit quietly in one room while some one takes -a small bell and goes to some other room, hall or any other part of -the house and rings the bell softly, just loud enough to be heard in -the room where the children are seated. See which child can tell most -accurately the location where the bell was rung. Allow the child making -the closest guess to go out and ring the bell. - - -The Game of Stop Thief - -Place a table in the center of the room, preferably one with doors on -two sides, or at least more than one door. On the table place a bell, -bunch of keys or other article difficult to pick up without making a -noise. - -Have all but one of the children blindfolded and seated at the end of -the room farthest from the doors. The child not blindfolded is the -Thief and leaves the room. When everything is perfectly quiet the Thief -tries to enter the room, get the article from the table and get out -without being heard. - -If a child hears the Thief, he calls "Stop Thief," and if he accurately -locates the position of the thief he takes his place. - -This game will teach the children to move quietly as well as to improve -their hearing. - - -The Table Game - -After the meal and while enjoying a few minutes around the table have -the children close their eyes while you take a spoon or fork and tap -softly upon some dish or article on the table. See who can tell by -hearing what the article is and where it is. See who is most accurate -in locating the spot where the sound is made. - -Other interesting games to be played at the table will be found under -the sense of Sight and faculty of Observation. - -Remember it is the effort that counts--just to listen will tend to -sharpen the sense of hearing. Well developed senses are the result of -repeated efforts upon the part of their possessor. Try--keep on trying. - - -Care of the Ears - -Teach the child to respect and value the sense organs as possessions -of great worth and to care for them properly. Do not allow any kind of -abuse, especially of the ears and eyes. Do not try to wash too far into -the ears, the inner ear is fully protected by nature and does not need -cleansing. Wash as far as the child's finger will reach and no farther. - - - - -TRAINING THE SENSE OF SIGHT - - -This sense has been endowed by nature with special ability and -capacity. The nerves connecting the eye with the brain are eighteen -times larger than those of any other sense. Their capacity to impress -the brain is therefore many times greater. At the same time nature -has duplicated the sense of sight and we have the mind's eye, or -the faculty of visualization, by which we can reproduce the visual -impression, or picture, of the thing which we have seen. This faculty -is one of the important foundations of memory development as you will -see in future chapters. - -We are probably more conscious of defects in the operation of the sense -of sight because of the many opportunities for comparison with others. -Children may differ considerably in their vision but any unusual -condition should prompt a consultation with a specialist. - -Because of the movement possible in this sense organ and the delicate -muscles which control it, there is the possibility of improvement -by muscular exercise which does not exist in the other senses. The -following exercises will strengthen the eye muscles. They should be -practiced by persons of all ages. It has been found during operations -that some of the eye muscles have been exercised so little that they -have become almost incapable of use. - -These exercises are simple, and can be practiced at odd moments, that -would otherwise be wasted. - -First--Move the eye horizontally as far as you can to the left and then -to the right. Continue this until there is a feeling of fatigue. No -physical exercise should be continued beyond that point. - -Second--Move the eyes vertically as far as you can, up and then down, -trying to extend the range of vision. Continue this alternately until -you feel fatigue. - -Third--Roll the eyes from right to left and then from left to right in -as large a circle as possible. - -These exercises will keep the eye muscles in a healthy condition. See -to it that the child does not abuse his eyes; that he does not strain -them; always has plenty of light and that it falls upon the page, or -work, that he is doing. Do not overlook indications of eye trouble, -eye pains, inflamed lids, continued recurrence of styes, blood-shot -eyeballs, or pain back of the eyes, all should have the attention of a -doctor. "A stitch in time saves nine." - - -Strive for More Detail - -There is the greatest difference in the amount of detail which the eyes -of different persons gather from a glance at an object. Some will only -see a tree; others in the same time will see a tree with spreading -branches, small irregularly shaped leaves, with small black berries and -a rough vertically marked bark. Children should be trained to notice as -much detail as possible. Development along this line becomes a basis -for many other mental operations which will be discussed later on. - - -Exercise for Detail - -Place yourself with the child where you can look out on the landscape. -Pick out some object, tell him what it is, and have him look until he -finds it. Then let the child pick out some object that he thinks will -be difficult for you to find. It may be a bird, a red flower, or a -hoop. As he develops pick objects farther away, smaller or partially -hidden. - - -Another Good Exercise - -Have the child look at a house and give you all the detail that he can -see. Call the child's attention to the things missed so that he sees -the reason for making an additional effort. The same exercise can be -followed with any object, a tree, an automobile, or an animal. When in -the house use a picture on the wall, a table, a book case or a coin. -You will find that the longer the child looks at the object the more -detail he will see. The aim is to get him to notice and mention the -details as quickly as possible. After some practice he will be able -to mention them as rapidly as he can speak. This can be made into a -competitive game when there are several children. Keep score of the -number of the details each can write on a slip of paper in a given -length of time. - - -Training the Eye to Measure - -The ability to accurately measure with the eye is a thing that a great -many people find very difficult, if not almost impossible. You are -continuously finding opportunity to use such an ability. A little -conscious effort will work wonders in this regard and children should -not be allowed to grow up without being trained to intelligently -estimate measurements. In this training begin with larger measurements -and from that work to the finer ones as rapidly as the child can -progress. - - -First Exercise - -Have the child determine which of two trees in the distance is the -closest or use any other objects in the landscape. Walk towards the -trees to prove the matter. Point out things of interest to encourage -the child's observation of nature. - - -Second Exercise - -Give the child a foot rule and let him become acquainted with its -length. Then with his fingers on the table have him indicate the -distance which he believes to equal that of the length of the rule. Lay -it between the child's fingers. Practice until he knows accurately how -long a foot is. At the same time and for variety he can practice with -a half foot and an inch. Have him compare objects with a foot rule and -determine whether they are longer or shorter. Then let him measure the -objects. Allow the child to check the measurements himself, this will -increase his definite conception of the length of a foot. - - -The Game of Measuring - -Let the child with his eye, and without a rule, measure the length of -the table, of the book case, the side of the room, or the height of -a door. Have him do this by eye measurement and not by guess work. -Teach him to start at one end and select a point which he judges to -be one foot from the end and then to advance the eye to a point one -foot from that and so on, counting as he goes, "one, two, three and a -half"--whatever he believes is right. Then have him take the foot rule -and check his measurements accurately. - -In the same manner the child should be taught to know and to be able -to measure with the yard stick. With it, of course, measure larger -objects, as the length of the house, the width of the porch, the -distance from the house to the sidewalk, the width of the street, the -height of the shed, etc. Teach the child to recognize the distance of a -block, a half mile or a mile, and the size of an acre. - -Unless you have had some practice in work of this kind, you will -find yourself busy keeping ahead of the child. You can get excellent -practice and development which will be of value to you, by entering -into these exercises. Make it a point to become thoroughly interested -in the work yourself, as it will insure continuation and increased -good for the child. Remember the interest increasing value of -competition. - -While training the child's eye to measure, excellent practice will be -found in determining comparative length of lines. The illustrations -below will show some of the ways in which the lines can be made -confusing. The child should be given enough drill in this exercise so -that he learns to judge the things as they are, and not as they seem. - -Have him look at Figure 1 and decide which is the longer line, a side -of the square B or the diameter of the circle A. Then have him measure -carefully. - -In like manner compare the height of the two rectangles in Figure 2. -Which line is longest in Figure 3--AB, CB, or BD? Which vertical lines -are tallest in Figure 4--those between AB or BC? - -In Figure 5 which line is longest, A, B or C? - -[Illustration] - -Good practice can be had in judging the size of boxes by comparing -the length of one box with the width of another, or any similar -measurements. In each case the measurements should actually be made so -that all error can be corrected. - -In the same way practice with size and thickness of books. Let the -child estimate them by inches so that he learns to determine accurately -the difference in thickness. The carpenter can readily tell the full -inch board from the seven-eights boards by looking at it or by feeling. -His ability to do this is the result of practice. - -The size of type is a good thing to practice with, as the irregular -outlines of the type make it quite confusing. A sample book of type can -be gotten from any printer. From this the child can also be taught to -become familiar with the common type faces. This knowledge he can use -to good advantage in later years. - -The child should be taught a definite length of step for the purpose -of measurement. In proportion to his size he can learn to step off two -feet or a yard. He should also know the length in inches of his shoe -for the purpose of checking shorter measurements. - -Have the child know his height and estimate the height of trees, -buildings, etc. These estimates can be checked by computing the -proportion of the length of the shadow thrown by the tree and using the -proportion. - -=Example=--If the child is five feet tall and his shadow measures three -feet, the shadow is three-fifths of his height. If the shadow of the -tree measures fifteen feet, the height of the tree is twenty-five feet. - - -Further Development of Sight - -There are two important faculties which are dependent upon the -operation of the eye for usefulness and accuracy. They are -Visualization and Perception. The games which are given later for the -improvement of these important mental operations will also develop the -sense of sight. - -It will be better to use these later exercises where double results can -be accomplished. Give all the time possible to the games on pages 59 to -69. - - - - -THE SENSES OF TASTE AND SMELL - - -For most of the mental operations the three senses already treated are -the more important ones. There are some trades in which the senses of -taste and smell are also important. These can be cultivated readily by -exercises of any nature that stimulate an effort on the part of the -children. Many ideas will suggest themselves to you from those given -for the other senses. - -It is advisable to do a good deal of the practice blindfolded so as to -separate entirely the sense of sight, and force dependence upon the -senses of taste and smell. - -These two senses are very closely allied. Try the experiment of -determining the difference in tea, coffee, milk and water while the -eyes are covered and the nose held tightly closed. - -The degree to which these two senses can be developed is illustrated by -the proficiency which is shown by experts and testers who grade tea, -coffee and tobacco. - -The usefulness of their development is to a large degree only of value -to those engaged in these lines of trade. The opportunity for their -development comes rarely except in connection with work in the trades, -and for that reason will not be dealt with at any length here. - - -Using Two of the Senses - -There are times when the ability to use two of the senses with -reasonable accuracy at the same time will be of value. It is not -possible for either of the senses to produce perfect attention while -working in conjunction with one another. We can attend to only one -thing at a time and do it well, but "Divided Attention" is possible. -Under the chapter on Attention and Concentration, on page 75, you will -find an explanation of "Divided Attention," which should be read before -going farther with these exercises. - - -Exercises for Two Senses - -Combine any of the previous exercises for Eye and Ear, Ear and Feeling, -Eye and Feeling, etc., but do not attempt two exercises of the same -sense or use two of the same order. - -At first the attention will alternate between the two exercises, but by -persistence the child can learn to carry on two exercises at the same -time. - -Watch an operator in the central phone stations, she listens to the -party calling, watches the board over which other conversations -are passing, and pulls and shifts the plugs, all at the same time. -Operators of many machines in factories learn to carry on two and more -separate operations at one time. - -Combine the Insets for the sense of feeling on page 18 with the Number -Game or the Letter Game on page 45, or with the exercises for visual -counting on page 59. Let the Insets be held close to the body so as -not to be easily seen, or have them worked under the table, or covered -by a cloth. - -Use a similar combination of any of the sense exercises or games. Try -many variations of the idea given on page 75 under Divided Attention, -using different verses and problems to suit the age of the child. - -Have the child write a familiar verse while listening to the reading of -a story and see how much he can tell after the verse is finished. See -that the writing continues during the reading, that is, that he does -not stop writing to listen, then write again. - -Take the letter cards of the Letter Game, page 45, and arrange a series -of six, having these covered. Give the child a paper and pencil, -uncover the series of letters and simultaneously read an equal series -of digits. After the reading cover the letters and have him write as -many as possible, first the letters and immediately following the -digits. Next time write the digits first and the letters second. -The result of this test will reveal the comparative quality of the -child's eye and ear memory, as memory must of course enter into this -exercise. If the sounds of the digits are lost before the pictures of -the letters, the eye memory is strongest. This is usually the case, but -some children will retain the sounds easily and lose the picture of the -letters. - -The sense which proves most useful should be depended upon for -accuracy, but there should be a continuous effort to develop and -strengthen the weaker one. - - -Improvement From Conscious Effort - -The child may be normal in all his senses and able to gain an average -success in life without much conscious effort given to improving them. -It will require very little effort, however, to greatly develop the -capacity of the different senses and thus increase the success which he -will gain, and greatly reduce the effort necessary to attain it. While -effort and use develop, neglect causes disintegration. - -The fact that the eye, for example, needs development is illustrated -by the limited usefulness of this organ in infants. Professor Compayre -tells us that babies see only objects in front of them, not to the -right or to the left, and only objects that are at short range. - -Your present capacity in the use of this sense organ, and the accuracy -with which you use it, is the result of the development of past years. -Conscious effort upon the part of your children will lead them to more -rapid development, and to the possibility of far greater power and -usefulness. - -The value of this improvement is apparent to you, but not to the -child. The benefits to be derived will be largely dependent upon your -leadership and encouragement in making the effort. While the children -are seeking amusement, see that they combine it with these games and -exercises which will accomplish some improvement that will be permanent -and valuable to them later on. - - -The Faculty of Visualization - -The sense of sight has been wonderfully endowed with a duplicate power -which we have come to call the mind's eye. With this visual faculty we -produce some very important mental operations. We must first become -conscious of this faculty and learn to use it intelligently and then to -broaden its scope and increase its power to deal with details. - - =Visualization is the mind's eye reproduction of an impression - made by the sense of sight.= - -When the name of Abraham Lincoln is mentioned you can see his face in -your mind's eye. Hesitate a moment and become really conscious of this -reproduction of Lincoln's face in your mind. See the details of the -picture, the deep set eyes, the furrowed skin, the sad expression, etc. - - -Another Visual Test - -In the same manner your mind can reproduce an unlimited number of -pictures. Anything which you have once seen with the physical eye can -be reproduced again in the mind's eye. - -Make a few tests of this fact, if it is not well known to you. For -example,-- - -See a pasture with a creek flowing through, willows hanging over the -water, the green grass on the banks, and the stock grazing there. See -several different kinds and sizes of animals, note their color, what -they are doing. Add to the detail of the picture. - -To close the eyes and thus to eliminate the more distinct impressions -of the physical eye, will assist you in visualizing any picture. - - -Visual Process Natural - -We are all born with this ability to visualize or see imaginary mental -reproductions of things which we have seen before. By the use of the -imagination we combine parts of these pictures into new ones and thus -are able to construct a mind's eye picture which may never have existed -in fact. - -Children possess this faculty in a marked degree; they use it -continuously and unconsciously. They can also see their visual picture -much more clearly than their parents can, unless they have continued -to use the faculty consciously. Many children amuse themselves by the -hour in playing with imaginary playmates, and will talk to them as -interestedly as if they were really present. To the child they are -present, he actually sees them and also visualizes the conditions under -which he is playing. - -The child should be given a conscious understanding of the mind's eye -picture and what is meant by visualization. Teach him that when you -ask him to visualize, you mean for him to see clearly the mind's eye -picture of the thing referred to. The first exercises in visualization -are for the purpose of developing a clear visual picture. - - -Training the Mind's Eye - -The following tests and games will reveal the lack of speed and -accuracy in the operation of the visual faculty. The repetition of -the tests will result in an improved ability; vary and continue them -and you can quickly experience improvement in the availability of the -faculty. - -Exercises which tend to quicken the action, broaden the range of -vision, and increase the amount of detail retained, are most valuable. - - -The Picture Test - -Select a good sized picture which is strange to the child, in which -there are several persons surrounded by the furniture of a room, or -any similar setting where there are a number of objects. Allow him -to give one quick glance at the picture and then see whether he can -recall definitely just how many persons were in the picture? Whether -they were men, women or children; and locate definitely the position of -each person. The first glance should not exceed one second. Now let him -look at the picture again for not more than five seconds. See how many -objects he can name, check them up to see that he is accurate. Also -notice how many objects are mentioned which are not in the picture. - - -Test for Quick Reaction - -Prepare a strip of cardboard about three inches wide and fourteen -inches long. Get as many colors of paper as possible, cut them into -strips of unequal width and paste them on the cardboard so that each -color will be from one to three inches wide, according to the number -secured. - -Stand across the room holding the back of the strip towards the -children, then turn it over so that they get one clear glance. This -glance should not exceed the length of time it takes you to count -rapidly one-half the number of colors. There should not be less than -six colors on the slip, in which case you count from one to three. -After this first quick glance see who can tell accurately HOW MANY -colors there are on the slip. Let each write down the number his mind -registered without checking up to see if he is correct. - - -A Test for Color Reaction - -Now turn the paper over again so that they see the colors about twice -as long as the first test. Then have them write a list of the colors -that are on the paper. After they have written all the colors that they -saw, have them take the following tests, before checking up the lists. - - -A Test for Order - -Allow a third glance at the color strip while you count ten, and have -each begin at the left hand end of the strip, noting the arrangement of -the colors, and see if they can write accurately the order in which the -colors appear on the card. - -The first test is for quick reaction of the mind. The amount that -they are able to observe in a given length of time will depend upon -the rapidity with which their minds react. This test is designed to -determine the rapidity of the mental reaction. About thirty-five per -cent of those who take it are able to get the correct number, where the -number of colors is not more than seven. - -The second test is designed to determine the ability of the mind to -hold the color impressions. About twenty-five per cent are able to -retain the impression of the seven colors. - -The third test combines the power to retain the color impression with -the ability to retain the correct order. Experience shows that not over -ten per cent are able to give the order accurately. - -Similar tests repeated will give a great amount of exercise and soon -result in a perceptible increase in the power to accomplish the desired -results. - - -The Letter Game - -Prepare a series of white cards about 2 X 3 inches, larger for larger -groups, on which are painted the letters of the alphabet in large black -type. - -For this test select a convenient spot, such as the mantel, window -sill, or table edge, and place six letters upright and side by side, -but do not have the letters spell a word. - -Each child should be supplied with paper and pencil. All should hold -the pencil above their heads. Upon a signal allow the children a -five-second glance at the letters. When the five seconds have elapsed -give the command "Write," at which each child will write the letters -in proper sequence. When they have had ten seconds in which to write, -give the command "stop." During the time for writing the letters the -cards should be covered. Now the cover can be removed and each allowed -to check the result. - -Begin with the arrangement of about six letters and gradually increase -the number and complexity of arrangement so as always to give the child -something to strive for. - - =Only that which requires effort results in growth. Those things - for which we strive are of most value to us.= - -A few examples for the letter game-- - - M D L T R X - X O M E R S - E A M N R T V - T E X R L O S - A X M E V A L R - Y A C O P T E L - -Later arrange some double line combinations, and increase the -complexity as the ability develops. - - Y--E--O--P X--O--J--R M--P--S--Q - - E--M--T--A B--Z--Y--E R--E--T--W - - L--V--D--H - -In some combinations use letters which make the semblance of a word -and later some which spell a word. Notice how quickly and easily the -combination is remembered when it conveys sense or something definite -which the mind can grasp. For example-- - - T--E--X--O A--M--I--T C--O--C--O - - B--R--A--S C--R--E--P J--U--B--S - - F--I--N--O - - -The Number Game - -In the same manner in which you made the cards for the Letter Game -prepare a set on which are numbers instead of letters. Follow the same -rules for the Number Game, using rows of numbers instead of letters. - -First use a row of single digits, increasing it until you have used -nine or ten. Then change and arrange a column of two digits, as -illustrated below. - -Later for variety you can combine letters and numbers. In some -arrangements leave blank spaces requiring the child to leave the blank -in its proper location when reproducing his mental picture. - - -A Few Examples for Guidance - - 23 50 2 5 1 7 2 906 4 - 46 27 9 6 8 1 4 5 27 16 - 19 48 3 7 4 6 1 2 0 010 372 - 43 14 0 5 1 9 3 5 4 6 9 5680 - - X 7 3 7 6 A 9 E X 5 0 T4 AX - 9 E 4 B A 7 X 6 4 B C 1 6E 96 - 1 O B X T O M 1 4 9 2 10 D7 - -A series of squares, circles, triangles, etc., can be used. These -exercises can be varied in any manner and made as long and as -complicated as is necessary to keep the child striving to make an -effort to accomplish more. Keep a time limit, remember the value of -competition, championship scores, etc. - - -The Colors of a Room - -Have the child look at one side of the room, then look away and tell -all the colors he saw there in pictures, draperies, etc. Have him look -at a certain picture for about five seconds and turn away and see how -many of the colors in it he can recall. - -Use a row of books on the shelf for another test. Have the child tell -how many colors he saw in the row, and, if possible, how many books. - - -Practice With Geometrical Figures - -First secure some geometrical figures. Take for example a five-pointed -star, have the child look at it carefully, then close his eyes and -reproduce its form and size in a clear, visual picture. Let him -look at the drawing and see if he can improve the clearness and -definite proportion of his mind's eye picture. Now have him take a -sheet of paper and draw this picture as he sees it in his mind, and -when complete compare it with the original for accuracy in size and -proportion. Let him close his eyes several times and get just as -definite a mind's eye picture as possible before he attempts the -drawing of the figure. Practice with figures of this kind, gradually -increasing their complexity. - - -Use Other Simple Objects - -Instead of the geometrical figures of the previous exercise, take some -simple object, such as a coin, a key, a watch charm, or a book. Follow -the same plan as above. Have the child make a complete mind's eye -picture, then try to draw it. - - -Color Practice Valuable - -Secure a number of colored objects, such as sheets of paper, or book -covers, or candy boxes, anything which is colored. Let the child study -the color carefully, then reproduce it in his mind's eye. First he must -work with single colors, then combine two or three in a group, and -reproduce them in his mind's eye. In following this exercise he will -develop an accurate color memory. - - -Out-of-Door Games - -Select a certain tree and let the child look at it intently for a few -seconds, then ask him to close his eyes, or look away, and describe the -tree to you. Try to get him to see clearly all the detail in his mind's -eye picture, as you did in the former exercises for the physical eye. - - -Use Entire Landscape - -In the same way have the child visualize the landscape. Let him look at -it intently for a few moments, and then, with his eyes closed, describe -it. The description which the child gives will reveal the amount of -detail in his mind's eye picture. Try again, and see how much he can -add at the second trial. - - -Immediate Visualization - -The rapidity of visualization can be greatly increased by effort and -training. There is great value in this ability, and it can be attained -by shortening the interval during which the object or exercise is -visible to the eye. - -After the children have learned to form a definite, accurate picture, -try to shorten the time in which they see the objects. Strive until -they can take in the whole at a glance. The detail will continue to -develop after the eyes are closed. In the Letter and Number Games -gradually shorten the time given until they can reproduce the entire -row at a glance. Such effort will quicken the action of the brain area -of sight. - -The story is told of a woman who so developed this ability that she -could secure a picture of the page of a letter in one glance and read -it from the visual image. She became a well-known government agent in a -foreign country, an internationally known spy. - -All of the exercise given for the development of the sense of sight -can be used for visualization and later for observation. These two -important faculties are closely related to each other and both -dependent upon the eye. Later on you will see that the most used of all -the faculties--Memory--is in turn largely dependent upon all three. - - -Training of Younger Children - -Up to eight years of age the child should be trained principally in the -use of his senses and in making clear mind's eye pictures. The parent -should have the definite aim in mind of increasing the child's stock of -knowledge, and of the later value of these efforts. Show him everything -you can, and take time to explain. Things are new to the child, even -though they are very common to you. This is the age when he acquires -his knowledge of things without being so much interested in their -relationship to each other. - -A great deal which is explained to children is forgotten, because they -did not sense it--that is, they do not impress it upon the mind by many -and varied sense impressions. Simply to hear the answer to the question -is not sufficient. You can tell a child what a rectangle is, but he is -very apt to forget. If, after you have explained a rectangle to the -child, you have him go around the room and find all the rectangles that -he can--such as windows, doors, books, etc., and then draw different -sizes of them, he will never forget. - - - - -DEVELOPING THE OBSERVATION - - -The next step of development, after forming clear visual impressions, -and closely allied to it, is the development of the faculty of -observation. The eyes see, but the brain perceives. The sense organs -bring a sensation to the brain where, by the act of perception, it is -classified or identified as being like certain other objects and filed -away in its proper place. - -Recognition goes a step farther and places this object alongside of one -particular mental image, which it resembles. - -Standing by the gate in the twilight you see an object coming down -the road. As it approaches you Perceive that it is a cow. As it comes -closer you Recognize it as Neighbor Jones' cow. You Perceive that it -is a cow, but you Recognize her as a certain cow, different from all -others. - -It is a fact that the eye may be perfect, and the nerve connecting it -with the brain may be in good working order, and yet no impression -may be received by the brain. Injury to that area of the brain which -receives the impression from the eye may cause total blindness; at -the same time the eye and nerves connecting it with the brain may be -physically perfect. - -When the brain is not injured, the same result is brought about by lack -of Attention. The eye can look straight at an object and you do not -perceive it. The brain does not accept any impression of it. - -Attention is necessary that the sense impressions may be properly -perceived and recognized; and this completed mental operation is -commonly called Observation. Trained senses that react quickly make -possible quick perception and recognition. The result is quick, -accurate, and complete observation. Observation requires knowledge and -it develops definite knowledge, but most people are poor observers. -Help your children to be definite in their knowledge and to know what -they know. How many can tell the different trees by name? How many legs -has a spider, a fly, a bee, a butterfly? - -It is a strange fact that the poorly educated are the best observers. -Do not lose sight of the necessity of helping the child to form the -habit of observation. It is the basis of common sense. Do not let him -grow up ignorant of the common knowledge and experiences. - -The faculty of observation is also the basis of science and of the -success of specialists in every line. The story is told of a young -man, who, having made up his mind to become a naturalist, went to a -celebrated teacher in that line of study. The professor set the young -man at work drawing a picture of a fish. The picture was soon finished -and carried to the teacher for inspection, who, without looking up, -said: "Draw it again." This seemed foolish to the young man, but he sat -down and drew a new and better picture, which he again carried to the -teacher for approval. This time the professor told him to go back and -improve it and to wait until he should come to inspect it. The young -scholar returned, did some more work on the picture and then pushed it -back and waited. The professor did not come and so he started wandering -restlessly around the room, thinking he had been forgotten. - -Soon he became interested in studying the fish he had been drawing; he -noticed several peculiarities of the eye which he added to his picture. -This led him to a more careful study, and other details were noted and -added. He then decided he could draw a better picture, so started all -over again. After days had passed, the professor came in and glanced at -the picture which the young man then realized was still only partially -complete. For one year this young scholar was kept busy studying and -drawing the fish, then the old professor told him: "You have learned -the greatest lesson of the scientist, observation." This young man was -Agassiz, who became America's foremost naturalist. - -Observation usually occurs where there is a motive. Do not ask the -child to develop it, but induce him to play games and to strive to -excel in contests which require observation. - - -Value of Observation - -This is one of the faculties which we use continuously, but have given -very little thought to its conscious improvement. Every judgment -rendered in business life is largely dependent for accuracy upon this -faculty. - -You may intend investing money in a piece of real estate. You go out to -look at it. What you see on this trip of inspection is a large factor -in your decision. Your ability to observe all existing conditions will -go a long way towards determining whether or not your judgment in -buying this property is correct. If the surrounding land is higher, and -you do not observe this fact, you will probably discover, when winter -comes, that you have purchased a mud hole. - -Two men go to inspect a piece of mining property. Mr. A decides to -invest, while Mr. B decides not to. In talking over the situation later -on A inquires of B why he did not invest, and finds that B saw many -things about the location of the property which he did not see at all. - -In every decision of life we depend largely upon our observation; upon -the things we see. A keen observation is of great help to the salesman -in finding a point of contact with the prospective buyer. When he -enters the man's office his eyes are keen and alert. He sees the golf -bag or tennis racquet in the corner, or a book on the man's desk, the -title of which he can read at a glance. These things reveal to him the -things in which this man is interested. - -If all faces look alike to you you will of course call them all by the -same name. Your friends are all different in their appearance. It is -your observation which detects this difference. You may have thought -that Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith look very much alike, but when you see -the two side by side you are surprised that you ever thought they -resembled each other. Such cases are not at all rare, and show that the -observation has not been as keen and accurate as it should have been. - - -The Neglected Faculty - -Observation can be improved easily and quickly. This is one of the -faculties which is used so habitually that we have overlooked its -importance and almost entirely neglected its improvement. The following -pages will give some tests by which you can determine the child's -power of observation and which will convince you of the need of its -development, and also suggest some simple games by means of which you -and your children can improve this important mental faculty. - -It is a great aid to observation to have the ability to place upon the -brain a physical eye picture which is so clear and distinct that later, -when you reproduce the picture in the mind's eye, you still see the -details accurately. To develop this power of visualization will help -to develop the ability to observe. The exercises in the development -of observation which follow will also improve the visual power of the -mind's eye. - - -Method of Developing Observation - -The story is told how the French magician Houdin trained the -observation of his son. They would go down the street together and stop -in front of a shop window. The father and son would both take a good -look at the contents of the window, and then walk on a little farther -and stop and write on a pad all the objects they could recall. Then -they would go back to the window and compare the lists, and go on to a -second window and do the same thing. This exercise was followed until -the boy had developed an unusual ability to remember what he saw. - -When the father was performing his magical feats on the stage of Paris -he would ask people from the audience to come up onto the stage and -deposit any articles which they chose upon the table until there were -forty in all. The boy, blindfolded, was then brought onto the stage, -led up to the table, and, after the blindfold was removed, allowed one -glance. He was then blindfolded again and led to the front of the stage -with his back to the table. He would without hesitation name each of -the forty objects. This was considered magic, mental telepathy, etc. It -_was_ magic--the magic of practice. - -Practice will work wonders for you and your children. The method -followed by this magician is one of the best exercises for developing -this faculty. The time you put in walking the streets is mostly wasted -as far as mental development is concerned. As you and the children -pass a store window look closely at the articles in it and as you walk -along see how many each of you can recall definitely. At first you will -not be able to name very many. Practice in this way several times a day -will soon enable you to recall the majority of things that you see. -Continual practice will result in your becoming an adept. - -The same kind of practice can be indulged in on streets where there are -no store windows. Look at the front of a house and see how definitely -you can describe it after you are by. How many windows has it? Can you -see the color, trimmings, the style of windows, doors, porches, and -all the details clearly? Practice until all can do this. Then observe -the yard until you can describe the approximate size, the arrangement -of the shrubbery, walks, flower beds and trees. While walking with -the children continuously use these ideas. Call their attention to a -certain house and when you have passed ask questions regarding what -they have observed. - -An excellent method of developing observation is to recall the definite -location of the furniture in the different rooms of the home, the -articles that are on the top of the dresser or library table. - -In going to the home or office of a friend look around the room once -carefully, then look out of the window or at the floor, and recall the -furniture and other details of the furnishings. How many pictures are -on the walls, where are they and what are they? - - -Picture Cards for Observation - -Secure a group of pictures which have considerable detail and a variety -of objects such as often appear on calendars, large magazine pictures, -and advertisements, etc. - -Put a single picture upon the wall for observation for a period of a -few seconds. Let each child write the answers to a series of questions, -each being numbered. They can be answered verbally if the group is -small. - -Have the list of questions prepared and numbered. If the picture is of -a house and yard have questions like the following: How many chimneys? -How many windows upstairs, downstairs? How many porches? What color -is the house? the trimmings? How many trees, bushes, flower beds? Is -there a fence? Is the door open or closed? Is there any person in the -picture? Any animal? - - -Counting From Mind's Eye Pictures - -[Illustration: GROUP 1.] - -Take a piece of paper, or a child's slate, place a simple group of -small circles, as illustrated in Group One. Let the child look at this -group for five seconds. Turn the slate over and have him count from his -mind's eye picture and tell how many circles are in the group. Then -have the child draw on the other side of the slate or on another piece -of paper the circles as nearly in the same position as possible. - -See that he gets the advantage of two tests from this exercise, one -the counting from his mind's eye picture and the other to be able to -reproduce the group in the same positions as shown on the other side of -the slate. - -[Illustration: GROUP 2.] - -Make another group of mixed crosses and circles as shown in Group Two. -After looking at it for five seconds, have the child tell you how many -circles and how many crosses there are. Have him draw a picture of them. - -[Illustration: GROUP 3.] - -Use a group of combined circles and squares as illustrated in Groups -Three and Four. As the child becomes able to count and reproduce -accurately, increase the difficulty and complexity of the exercises. -For variety use triangles, rectangles, octagons, stars, etc., as in -Group Four. - -[Illustration: GROUP 4.] - - -For Visual Reproduction - -Divide a slate or a sheet of paper into four, six, nine or twelve -sections. Beginning with four and increasing the number as the child -progresses. Draw in each section some picture, number, letter or -object, as illustrated. Let the child look at those which you have -arranged and then close his eyes and look away and tell what is in each -of the squares. If he is old enough, let him take a piece of paper and -reproduce the squares and their contents. For variety the squares can -contain all letters, all numbers, or all objects. - -[Illustration] - - -The Game of Quick Counting - -Have a handful of small sticks or matches and lay a number in a row on -the table. Let the children stand with their backs to the table and a -few feet away from it. After you have arranged the sticks go several -feet away from the table and say, "Ready!" The children then go to -the table, count the sticks, run to you and whisper their answer. The -object in your being away from the table is to keep the others from -repeating the answer of the first child when they have not finished the -count for themselves. From a simple beginning of a straight row of a -few sticks, the game can be developed to any degree of complexity, so -that it will tax the powers of the most alert and developed mind. The -children will soon be able to glance at the group of sticks and count -them from their mind's eye picture while they are coming to you and not -have to stand at the table while counting them. - -Lay the sticks in groups, make them into figures, into small piles, -double lines of different length, etc. A few different groups are -illustrated below--use matches, tooth picks, or any small articles. - -[Illustration] - - -The Game of Visual Counting - -Take the same game described above for Quick Counting and have the -children see the figure or pile of sticks for just a moment, then cover -them and let them count from their visual picture and tell the number, -rather than by the actual count as before. They can also have a handful -of sticks in their hands and each try to arrange a group of sticks -which is the duplicate of the one they have been observing. - -The game of dominoes is good for small children in helping them to -count quickly and accurately. Use a row of dominoes instead of sticks -and have the children count the number of spots from their mind's eye -picture. - -For variety use any objects, let the child look at a flag and count the -stars. Have him count the number of squares in a colonial window; the -number of books on a shelf; the number of sections in the radiator. -Anything of this kind can be easily used. Give him only a glance, do -not allow time enough for an actual count. In each case let the time -allowed for each exercise be less than required to count the objects. - - -Reproducing the Visual Picture - -Show the child a vase, or the picture of one that is odd in shape, a -water pitcher, or an Egyptian water bottle. Let him have a good look at -the object, then take it away and let him describe it in detail, or, -better still, have him draw it. Drawing is an excellent exercise for -the development of muscular control and will-power. - -In the same way let children observe the decorations of a building, the -design of the windows, the design and style of the caps and bases of -the pillars, and then draw them. - -Older girls should be taught to observe so as to be able to describe -accurately, and to draw in detail, suits and dresses; draperies and -furnishings. This is also an excellent opportunity for color study. -Boys can observe, describe and draw the outlines of boats, automobiles, -and furniture, and anything that interests them. An excellent book to -help the child in learning to draw is one entitled, "When Mother Lets -Us Draw," by E. R. Lee Thayer. - - -The Game of Color Cards - -To develop Observation and Memory of location, and relation of objects, -get eight cards of any size, from one to three inches square, each of a -different color. Colors of decided contrast are best. Number the cards -on the back from one to eight. While the child is not looking arrange -the cards in a double row, writing the number of each card on a slip -of paper. The numbers should be in two rows and in the exact order in -which the color cards are to be arranged. Call the child and let him -look twenty seconds at these cards. The time can be shortened as the -ability develops. Now mix the cards and let him try to arrange them as -they were. - -The one taking the test should do this by making a picture of the -colors as they appear, holding them in mind as he arranges the cards. -This is excellent practice for persons of all ages. Some can do it -accurately at the first trial, others will have a poor record at the -beginning, but as usual _persistence_ will win and the ability will -grow rapidly. - -The Score.--The numbers, as you have previously written them on the -slip, will give the original order. After they have been arranged by -the one taking the test, turn the cards and check by the numbers. Each -card in its correct place entitles him to one point. Any number can be -decided upon as a game. The first one reaching that number of points by -correct arrangement wins. - -If colored cardboard is not handy the cards can easily be made by -painting one side with a child's water color paints or by using -crayolas. - - -The Game of Picture Cards - -This game will develop observation and location. Make a series of -eight, ten, or twelve cards about 2x3 inches in size, on one side -number them as in the color game, and on the other side draw the -outlines of simple objects, as a hat, tea kettle, shears, box, fan, -book, owl, hen, dog, etc. These pictures can be cut from a paper and -pasted on the cards; small picture cards, or picture postals may be -used. - -Arrange the cards in two rows. You can begin with four or six cards -and later, after these have been used with comparative accuracy, add -more. Keep a record of the arrangement by the numbers on the back of -the cards as in the Color Game. Allow about twenty seconds for the -observation of the cards and their positions, then shuffle them and -arrange them in the original position if possible. Score the same as in -the Color Game. - - -The Seeing Game - -Take the child into some room with which he is not familiar, and let -him walk through the room slowly, then go out and make a list of -everything he can remember. Now let him look through again and see what -he can add to the list. - -Walk a block down the street and have him make a list or tell you of as -many of the things which he saw as possible. Whenever possible return -for a second look so that the child may see and realize the many things -that he has omitted. - -The story of the experience of the magician Houdin and the method which -he used for developing the observation of his son can easily suggest a -number of interesting, and as you have learned, very profitable games. - - -The Game of Detective - -Place a dozen objects on a table and let the child look at the table -from twenty to thirty seconds and then leave the room. While gone -change the position of two objects. Have him return and tell what -changes were made. Where there are two or more children let the one who -first observes the change remain and make the change for the others. -The number of objects changed can be varied. But those out of the room -should know how many changes are being made. At first the objects -changed should be returned to their original positions, before the -second change, so that the mental picture is the same each time. Later -they can remain in the position to which they were changed so that -there is a new relationship to be retained in mind each time. - - -A Game at the Dining Table - -After a meal, while sitting at the table, let the children take a -careful look at what is upon it and then close their eyes. Ask the -location of different things and see how many they can remember -accurately. While their eyes are closed take something off the table -and hide it. See which one can first tell what is removed. Return it -and next remove some other article. Let the child first telling what -was removed be the one to remove the next article, and so on, or take -turns around the table. - - -The Change About Game - -Let all the persons playing the game look over the furnishings of the -room and then all, but one, go out. The person remaining can change -the location of one article but nothing must be removed. When the -alteration is made the others may return. The first one to detect the -change must remain and make the change for the others. At first the -changes should be made of larger articles as the chairs, pictures, -pillows, etc. Later smaller ones can be used as vases, doilies, books, -bric-a-brac. - -A time limit can be placed upon the observation of the room and also -upon the time allowed for detecting the change made. A score can be -kept among smaller children rather than to allow them to make the -changes. - - -The Game of Observation - -Gather a group of small articles and place them on a table. Begin with -not less than twenty articles and increase the number as those making -the test become accurate. Have the children gather around the table and -look intently at the objects upon it, striving to make a picture of the -group in their minds. After they have looked at the table for thirty -seconds cover it and have them write a list of all the articles they -can recall from their mental impression. The one writing the longest -list is the winner. - -It is well to allow them a second observation of twenty seconds after -they have written the first list and see how many more they can add to -it. After the child has written all that he thinks he can, have him -close his eyes and see the mind's eye picture of the top of the table -and in this way concentrate on the picture. You will find that in most -cases this will recall to mind other objects, they will gradually -become definite in the picture and can be added to the list. Few -people are able to write more than twenty objects from a one minute -observation of a table containing thirty, but there are some who can -do much better at the first trial. These are usually persons who have -been engaged in some line of effort which causes the development of the -faculty. - -This is an excellent mental exercise and should be repeated as often -as you can induce the children to play it, adding to the articles and -changing some for variety. Play this at the children's parties. Older -persons enjoy it as well as the younger ones, especially after they see -how difficult it is. - - -Training the Sense of Location - -One valuable application of the habit of attention and observation is -that it develops the memory for places. The keen, observing woodsman is -not easily lost. Some people can be lost a few blocks from home simply -because they do not observe where they go, the objects which they pass, -or the relation of one building or corner to another. Impress the -importance of this application of observation upon the child. Teach -him to pick landmarks. Show him how the Indian or woodsman blazes a -trail as he goes through an unknown country. Teach the child to notice -the roads, fences, trees, houses and buildings as he walks. Teach him -the directions and how to find them. - - -The Game of Guide - -Take the child for a walk. Tell him that the next day you are going -to see if he can take you for the same walk. Have him observe the -different places you go. After you have been home for an hour or so -let the child go over the walk in his mind and review it visually so -that he will be able to take you the next day. Review is necessary for -a permanent memory, and this act will help the child to realize the -importance of forming the review habit. - - -The Game of Guiding Home - -Take the child for a walk and double back over your track and see if -he will recognize the fact that he has been there before. Take him to -the same place by different roads and let him guide you back home. When -you are ready to go home after a walk let the child play the game of -taking you home. He will enjoy this and it will develop independence -and the ability to get home alone if such a necessity should arise. -Occasionally ask him what direction you are traveling and in which -direction his home is located. When the corner is turned have him tell -the new direction. - - -Make Play Profitable - -In your play with the child make it a point to choose some game which -will develop his senses and faculties. You can amuse him as easily -and at the same time be accomplishing a great good. Do not put this -matter off "until you have more time." Use a little time each day, if -only five minutes. You are bound to experience to some extent the same -result as a friend who said: "I started in with this thing for the good -of the kids, but I find the kid who gets the most out of it is dad." - -Rudyard Kipling, in his book "Kim," gives an instance of the -Observation Game played by Kim and a trained native youth. Lurgan -Sahib exposes to the sight of the two boys a tray filled with jewels -and gems, allowing them to gaze upon it a few moments before it is -withdrawn from sight. Then the competition begins, as follows: "There -are under that paper five blue stones, one big, one smaller, and three -small," said Kim in all haste. "There are four green stones, and one -with a hole in it; there is one yellow stone that I can see through, -and one like a pipe stem. There are two red stones, and--and--give me -time." - -But Kim had reached the limit of his powers. Then came the turn of the -native child. - -"First are two flawed sapphires, one of two ruttees and one of four, as -I should judge. The four ruttees sapphire is chipped at the edge. There -is one Turkestan turquoise, plain with green veins, and there are two -inscribed--one with the name of God in gilt and the other being cracked -across, for it came out of an old ring, I cannot read. We have not the -five blue stones; four flamed emeralds there are, but one is drilled in -two places, and one is a little carven." - -"Their weight?" said Lurgan Sahib, impassively. - -"Three, five, five and four ruttees, as I judge it. There is one piece -of old greenish amber, and a cheap cut topaz from Europe. There is -one ruby of Burma, one of two ruttees, without a flaw. And there is a -Ballas ruby, flawed, of two ruttees. There is a carved ivory from China -representing a rat sucking an egg; and there is last--ah ha! a ball of -crystal as big as a bean set in a gold leaf." - -"Kim is mortified at his bad beating, and asks the secret." The answer -is: "By doing it many times over, till it is done perfectly, for it is -worth doing." - - =Conscious and accurate sense impressions are essential for - definite knowledge.= - - ="He who knows and knows that he knows, he is wise, follow him."= - - - - -ATTENTION AND CONCENTRATION - - -There is no greater heritage which you can give your child to aid in -his mental development, character building, and success winning than a -trained ability to control his attention and concentration. In fact, to -the degree in which he is able to do this, will he be able to control -himself and later to control others. The ability to do these two -things is a part of the capacity of every successful man. Every effort -that you will put forth to aid the child in the development of these -faculties will repay you in many ways. - -Attention is the application of the senses to the subject in mind. -Attention controlled and prolonged is Concentration. - -The opposite, absent-mindedness, is simply involuntary or uncontrolled -attention. - -The principal aid you can give the child is to teach him how to -induce and control attention and to know its enemies and how to avoid -them. Attention may be discussed under several different heads, but -we shall confine ourselves to aids in inducing it. It must be led, -not compelled or driven by will force. You may exert all the force -you possess to center your attention upon one object for a prolonged -period, but in spite of all you can do it will soon wander. - -It is said that the longest period of time in which a mind will attend, -without rest, to one subject, is a few seconds. At the end of that time -there must come consciously or unconsciously, a period of relaxation. - -William James, the psychologist, says that "doing work which requires -concentration is like driving a hungry horse along a road lined on -both sides with green grass. If left to himself the horse will stop to -nibble. It is only by continual jerking and urging that he can be kept -moving forward." - -"In the same way the mind is inclined to wander. There must be -conscious ability upon the part of the individual to urge it along and -keep it busy at the task in hand." - -The first stimulus to the attention is change. Prof. James says: "No -one can possibly attend consciously to an object that does not change." -A continual and unvarying sound soon makes no impression, you become -used to it so that your mind no longer pays any attention to it. A -picture may be very interesting but if you gaze at one object in it -steadily you will soon go to sleep. - - -Exercise for Prolonging the Attention - -Take a sheet of paper and draw a heavy square upon it. Pin this upon -the wall in front of you. Gaze steadily upon the square and see how -long you can keep your mind upon it. Do this several times and you can -become acquainted with the period of time during which you can hold -your attention without change. The knowledge of the length of this -cycle can be a guide of how rapidly to introduce change as a stimulus. - -Now gaze at the square again, introducing a change before your -attention has wandered. Look at the square, then at the different -sides, the corners and the space inside. See it in different colors, -see the square frame of one color and the center of another, change -the combinations. Let the center be formed of irregular shaped discs -of different colors and see them change places, forming new figures. -See the frame as a picture frame and with imaginary pictures in it. See -the pictures change and the objects moving. Let it be a moving picture -screen and imagine the pictures moving there. - -Let the square be the fence of a farm, set it all laid out in fields -with the buildings, the stock and all the work that is going on there. -While doing this make a continual change and attend to the different -details of the picture at different times. - -Keep up this exercise as long as you can hold your attention without -wandering. Then start again and try to prolong the period in which you -can control the attention. Let the movement of the conscious attention -be more rapid if necessary to hold it fixed upon the picture. - -Practice with the pictures on the wall and direct your attention from -one detail to another, always changing before the attention wanders, -keeping it absolutely under your control. - -Attention to be perfect must be directed to one thing at a time. It -must be centered and not scattered. Perfect attention is a rifle, not -a shotgun. You can best stimulate attention by use of one sense at a -time. At the same time see to it that the other senses are relaxed and -at rest. - - -Divided Attention - -It is possible to divide the attention but then it can not be of -the highest quality. Try the experiment of doing a simple problem -in arithmetic and at the same time say a familiar verse, as -"Humpty-Dumpty." Again try to write the lines of "Mary had a little -lamb," while you say aloud the lines of "Humpty-Dumpty." While you did -succeed in doing the first you do not succeed in doing the second. This -experiment should be tried by all children to show them the effect of -dividing the attention and of how it may be done when necessary, but -only to a certain degree. The difficulty of the verse and problem can -be accommodated to the age of the child. - -The attention may be divided between two objects or acts if they call -for the use of two different senses or are different in their order. -You can not divide your attention between two acts of the same order, -as two arithmetic problems, one mental and the other written, or -between two operations of the same sense. You can not listen to two -quartets singing at the same time, but you can attend to one and smell -some flowers at the same time and do both fairly well. While using one -of the senses for fixed attention train the others to relax. - - -The Degree of Attention - -This will depend upon the strength of the stimulus or force which -excites it. The sense of sight is the strongest of all the senses and -therefore can exert the strongest stimulus, and should be used in all -possible cases. In the exercises with the square the changes are all -visual and they continue the strongest stimulus. - -Another strong stimulus can be induced by the feelings of either -pleasure or displeasure. Happy, joyful anticipation or fear, horror, or -disgust will arouse the attention. - -Familiarity also aids the attention because of the feelings which it -incites. Visual pictures which contain familiar scenes are better and -all changes introduced should be of familiar ideas in order to take -advantage of this fact. - -The more you embrace in the attention the less penetrating it will be. -Do not try to take in the whole picture or object all the time, but -change from one detail to another, centering the attention on one at a -time and thus building the perfect whole. - - -Arouse Your Interest - -Always become interested in the thing to which you are striving -to direct your attention. Boys have no difficulty in paying close -attention and remembering the ball score and the batting average of the -players but to ask them to pay as strict attention to a lecture on an -uninteresting subject is asking the impossible. The compelling element -of interest has been taken away. - -This is a great lesson for all parents and teachers; if the results of -fixed attention are to be expected, the interest must be supplied and -maintained, by natural or imaginary means. - - -Expectant Attention - -Prolonged expectancy is a great aid to holding the attention. The -element of curiosity is a great impelling force in the child and -even in adult life. This can be taken advantage of in prolonging the -attention. - -The element of expectancy also affects the results of attention. The -thing you expect is the thing most easily found. If you wish to aid a -friend who is searching for a lost article you first learn as nearly -as possible just what it looks like, so that you may know what you are -expected to find. - -=Exercise.=--In the following lines count all the 5s. - - 5 0 3 4 2 6 5 7 4 6 7 8 9 8 0 7 6 8 7 5 4 3 5 7 6 5 4 3 7 - 93758432657374596870234265834985672230986574 - -Notice how readily the other digits pass before your eyes in more -or less indistinct rows, but the 5s stand out more clearly. This is -caused by your expectancy, your attention is fixed upon this one digit -and cares nothing for others. Count the 9s and note the change of -expectancy. Use any selected letter in this paragraph for additional -practice. - - -Cure for Diverted Attention - -It is not the easiest thing to learn to control and to prolong the -attention, but it is one of the most important. Great results are never -easily accomplished. Easily diverted attention is a contributing cause -of failure in every undertaking and if allowed to continue, will become -habitual absent-mindedness. See to it that your child does not acquire -this unfortunate handicap. - -The cure for diverted attention is to enter whole-heartedly and wholly -into everything that you do, no matter how trivial it may be, do not -change or lose your enthusiasm over it until fully completed. If you -discover something more desirable, put it aside for the time being and -attend to the thing started, until you have finished. - -Learn to use better judgment about what you start, and when started, -never change. It is the tendency to change which you are striving to -overcome. - -When one thing is finished go directly and enthusiastically to the -next, without hesitation or indecision. If uncertain, learn to make a -decision and go through with it to the end, and then do the better -things which may have suggested themselves after starting. - - -Parent Is Child's Interpreter - -These are immensely valuable lessons for children. Younger children, -whose habits are more easily formed can not realize the importance of -it so that the responsibility must rest upon you, the parents. See to -it that right habits are formed and wrong ones avoided or corrected if -they now exist. They will thank you for it many times in later years. -Repeat any of the exercises given for sense training and prolong them -for development of attention and concentration. - -An unusually successful physician tells how his mother developed his -conscious attention. Each time she told him to do something or sent him -upon an errand she would require him to repeat to her just what she had -told him to do. If he could not he had to stand and think it over, and -if he had not paid good attention he was punished. - -Sometimes he was given instructions and when he had left the house was -called back and required to repeat in detail where he was going and -what he was to do and say. By this method he learned to pay attention -and thereby to remember well. In the practice of his profession he used -this idea, requiring the parent or nurse to repeat his instructions -for the care of the patient and the use of the medicine, in this way -avoiding omissions and improving the result. - -Follow this plan and help your children to learn to pay attention and -to remember when told once. - - -What Is Concentration? - -An uninterrupted continuation of the flow of thought and undivided -attention is concentration. It is the result of a well-regulated -and controlled thought process. It is accomplished by patient and -persistent effort. It is a reward of the highest value. There is -no real effort connected with it, but you become so engrossed and -interested in your thought that you are conscious of nothing else. -Everything else is excluded and your whole consciousness is concentered -upon one thought. - -One moment's complete concentration will go farther toward the mastery -of a lesson or solution of your problem than much time spent in idle, -disconnected thought. - -This is a faculty not easily mastered, but when once harnessed and -under your control has the greatest constructive power. - - -Exercise for Concentration - -The following exercises are valuable for prolonged periods of -concentration, for developing the visual faculty, and exercising the -productive imagination. They will prove of great worth to adults in -helping with the construction and definite visualization of their life -ideals and business problems. By this process you can easily learn to -direct concentrated thought power to the bringing about of your plans -and ideals. - - -The Construction of a Home - -Visualize a forest, into which some lumbermen are coming. See them -cutting the trees, sawing them into mill lengths, and donkey engines -drawing them to the railroad. They are loaded and hauled to the mill, -where they are converted into lumber. See as much detail as you know of -the mill processes. - -The lumber is loaded on cars, shipped to the city, unloaded in a lumber -yard, sold and hauled to the spot in the city where a house is to be -erected. Follow the erection of the house, watch all the details of its -construction until fully completed and the occupants have moved in and -established their home. Furnish the house, each room separately, and -arrange and cultivate the grounds. - -This exercise can be continued as far as you desire to prolong the -period of concentration. Add all possible detail which will depend upon -the amount of knowledge which you possess along these lines. Some parts -of the work you will be able to follow in detail, others you may know -little about. If there is some other kind of construction that you are -more familiar with you can use it in order to make the visualization -definite. - -See to it that your concentration is complete, do not allow your -mind to wander. Keep this picture moving so as to hold the complete -attention, become interested in the development of each process. -Prolong the period of concentration as far as possible. - -This and the following exercises may be too complicated for your -children, according to their age, but some of the simpler ones should -be begun as early as eight years. The length and detail increasing with -the ability and knowledge. - -Remember that the children should be gathering knowledge by sensations. -Those parts of the former picture, of the Construction of a Home, -with which they are unfamiliar, should be brought to their attention. -Describing the processes to them is good, but far better for them to -get the original sensations for themselves. Take them to the forest, to -the mill and lumber yard. Let them go where a house is being built and -spend as much time there as possible. Parents should be purposefully -adding to their children's stock of knowledge. - - -The Farmer and His Farm - -See a settler going into an unsettled country and beginning the -construction of a farm. Watch him build his cabin, clear the land, -break the virgin soil and put in the crops. See the development -of the home, the well, the fences, barn, sheds, enlargement of -fields, bringing on of stock, the harvesting of crops, building of -greater barns, the new home, settling of the community. Continue the -development of the farm as much in detail and as far as you can. - - -The Farmer and His Crop - -Visualize the first breaking of the field in the spring, the -preparation of the soil for sowing, bringing of the seed corn from -winter storage, the planting, cultivating, and growth of the crop. -Watch the ripening, the cutting, shocking, husking, hauling and storing -into barns. - -Now follow the corn to the mill and through the processes of -manufacture until it arrives on the table as corn flakes, syrup or corn -bread. - -Do this with the other crops. Follow the wheat until it is bread. The -buckwheat to the steaming hot cakes. The same can be done with the -stock on stock farms. The different kinds of farming can be used for -variety. The great wheat farms present different pictures from the -usual diversified ones. - -The fruit orchard presents an interesting picture to work with. The -spraying, the cultivating, irrigating, and all the process from the -blossoming to the picking, sorting, packing, transportation and sale. - -This same plan can be followed with all industries and manufacture of -any article. Take the ore from the mine to the steel in the building -or battleship. The oil from the well to gasoline in the auto tank. The -automobile from metal, wood, leather and rubber to the picnic in the -woods. - - -The Growing Plant - -To visualize the growth of a seed or plant is interesting and helpful. -Prepare the soil, plant the seed, see the little hair roots start -out from the seed, the first green sprout, the breaking of the soil, -the gradual growth, the leafing, branching, budding, and flowering. -Hold your mind upon all pictures which you are visualizing. Direct it -consciously, do not let it wander. Use motion, color, vividness of -detail, everything that will aid concentration. - -For this exercise younger children can use the making of a kite, -building of a sand castle or doll house; a Hallowe'en party; a trip to -the woods. Let him start with the well-known and familiar and lead him -up to the unknown, which will develop a desire upon his part for more -definite knowledge of the subject. - -The chief factor in observation and in acquiring knowledge is Attention -and Concentration. These can be produced by curiosity and the desire to -excel, which is found in the love of competition and the game spirit. A -good example of concentration is found in the juggler or acrobat on the -vaudeville stage or in the circus. The ability to concentrate will grow -with the doing of the exercises and playing games such as are mentioned -here. - -Any exercises or games which will result in improved ability to -concentrate and pay attention are valuable. Play the games with the -child, use any method or idea which suggests itself if it gets results. -Give the child a conscious realization of the possession and value of -this power. See to it that he continues to develop it. - - - - -THE IMAGINATION - - -Even in the simple exercises for the development of the senses you -have been continuously required to draw upon the child's imagination. -Most children are blessed with a vivid, active imagination and use it -continuously in their play and self-entertainment. The reason that this -wonderful faculty is so useless to the average adult is largely caused -by a misunderstanding of the faculty on the part of the parent and -perhaps the teacher. - - =Imagination is the reproduction, in mental images, of those - sensations which have previously been experienced.= - -Most children use both reproductive and the productive imagination -easily. There is, however, considerable difference in the amount of use -and benefit which they derive from it. - - =Reproductive imagination is reproducing the literal copy of the - sensations.= - - =Productive imagination is the forming of a new image made up of - elements from previous images.= - -There is natural individuality in imagination and a difference in -method and in inclination to use the faculty. Some children reproduce -vivid images which are to them real and impressive and by the use of -which they amuse themselves for hours. Others reproduce indistinct -images which have no attractiveness, are dim, uncertain, and of little -value or consequence. - -Do not expect the imagination of two children necessarily to operate -in the same way, and above all, do not insist upon the same results. -If you wish to know what the difference is in this faculty of visual -reproduction you can use some definite test, such as the one following. - - -Test for Visual Reproduction - -The Preparation--Take particular care in the arrangement of the -breakfast table in certain known order, so that you will later be able -to know exactly what was on it and where it stood. Put on the table -some article of distinct color. If there is any question of your being -able to check accurately the arrangement leave the table as it is for -an hour or so after the meal. - -The Test--Some time after the family have left the table, not less -than an hour and preferably longer, ask each child separately, and -not in the hearing of the others, how the breakfast table looked that -morning. Let the child tell in detail what he can of the appearance of -the table, or if old enough let each write a description. The ease -with which this is done, the amount of definiteness displayed, and the -vividness with which the child reproduces the table will be an accurate -indication of the quality of images used in his imagination. - - -A Universally Useful Faculty - -Some have held the notion that imagination is a faculty useful only to -actors, artists or poets. This is untrue. Some parents have discouraged -and even killed the imaginative faculty in their children, because they -did not wish them to follow either of the above professions. - -Your child will be the greatest credit and satisfaction to you if -he becomes that for which his natural endowment and inclination is -strongest. It is a great mistake for parents to drive a child to grow -up according to some previously conceived plan or professional choice -of their own. Parental wisdom and duty are to find out what the child -is especially endowed for and to guide him in taking advantage of these -natural gifts, and at the same time inducing a general development in -other lines. - -Because of past misunderstanding or lack of understanding of its -importance in every line of effort, including science, engineering, -and every business development, many parents have discouraged their -children in the use of their imagination. Every leader in commercial -and industrial life is a man who has learned to use this faculty. -Without it he could not make great progress. Other men as brilliant -as he have lagged behind because they have never cultivated their -imagination or allowed themselves to be led by it. You should do -everything possible to encourage and to guide your children in the -conscious use of this faculty. - - -Children's Falsehoods - -Many parents are distressed because of the tendency on the part of -young children to tell untruths, "stories" about what they have seen -or heard. This tendency is more marked in some children and occurs -in the younger years before the senses and faculties are thoroughly -under control. There is nothing dangerous about this, it is more often -than not the result of a vivid imagination in which the visualizations -appear real. The fusion of ideas and illusions sometimes cause the -story to be "so awful." - -In most cases the child will outgrow this tendency and if carefully -and wisely watched over nothing detrimental will come of it. It is -an indication of a strong imaginative faculty which, if guided and -trained, will later be of immense value to him. Children who have a -tendency to this "story telling" should not be punished for it. They -should be given to understand that these are imaginary stories and -should not be told as the truth. They will, of course, appear real to -the child, but he will gradually learn to distinguish between the real -and the imaginary. - -Two children, both with vivid imaginations, were allowed and -encouraged in telling all kinds of imaginary stories, and playing -imaginary games, but were taught to discriminate between these and the -truth by the use of the word "really." If one began to wonder if the -things the other was telling were true and actually happened, he would -ask, "Was it really, sister?" "Oh, no, not really," was the reply, and -the game or story proceeded. In this way the children developed the -faculty and were taught to respect the truth. - - -Reality of Illusions - -There may be many individual peculiarities about your child's -imagination and his "story telling inclination," but these should not -induce you to be severe or to forbid them unless you have studied the -subject of the imagination carefully, or secured competent advice. - -You attend the entertainment of a magician, and during the whole -evening your senses are deceived. The magician uses the inclination -of the mind to illusions in making his tricks possible. He throws a -ball into the air a couple of feet and catches it. Then he throws it -higher and does the same several times, the last time he goes through -the same motion without the ball and nine-tenths of the audience will -swear that they saw it actually disappear in the air. If we with years -of experience in sensation and thought are so easily deceived can you -justly punish a child for yielding to the same mental tendencies? - - -Imagination a Curse or Blessing - -All normal children possess the faculty and its use will bring them -blessing and success if properly guided. The direct opposite is true. -If the child is allowed to form the habit of using his imagination -carelessly and negatively it will be harmful to an extreme degree. - -Positive imagination which suggests happy, cheerful and successful -thoughts and actions should be praised and encouraged. - -Negative imagination which suggests danger, accident, sickness, loss -and failure, should be discouraged and immediately replaced by thoughts -which are positive in quality. Imagination allowed to dwell upon -morbid, revengeful, ethically forbidden, or immoral ideas is harmful -physically as well as morally. "He who has imagined an action 'has -committed it in his heart.'" - - =There is no greater truth than--"As a man thinketh in his heart - so is he."= - -Imagination is the fountain head of thought and therefore the source of -words, action, personality and character. Help your child to control -the whole trend of his life by carefully governing the operations of -his imagination. - - -Dissipating the Imagination - -Here is a danger point, "Day dreaming, idle flights of imagination, -building air castles are of little value, and dangerous in that they -tend to develop the habit." If indulged in to excess they constitute -a foolish waste of time. Occasional flights of this kind should not -be dealt with harshly, but any tendency to persist in them should be -stopped. - -Reading of books which are wild flights of imagination often constitute -a harmless form of recreation for persons who are confined for long -hours at routine work, or engaged in hard physical labor. Children do -not need this extreme class of reading and should not be allowed to -indulge in much of it. - - -Exercises for the Imagination - -First strive for clearness in the reproduction and ability to keep -the images separate. The reproduction of letters and figures in the -exercises for visualization on page 46 will accomplish this result. - -Problems in mental arithmetic, if visualized, are of great value in -that the correct solving of them requires vivid and separate images. -Work for fullness of detail, the picture frame suggested on page -74 offers an excellent opportunity to do this while exercising the -constructive imagination. While fixing the attention upon the square -you keep the element of change going by use of the imagination in -picture making. Put into this picture all the detail possible, add -everything you can think of and then strive to create still more. - - -The Story Games - -Read the child a story or description of some well-known object, then -have him tell it as nearly as he can reproduce it. Now have him tell -it again and add every bit of detail, every new circumstance and -condition which he can create for himself. - -Read half of a story to the child and have him go on from where you -leave off, making his own imaginary ending for it. Then read the -conclusion to show him how the author's imagination differed from his. - -Most of the exercises and games given for the development of -Visualization and Attention call the imagination into action. These -three faculties are so closely related that they can not be treated -entirely separate. Any exercise previously given for the first two will -develop the imagination as well. - -These faculties of Visualization, Attention and Imagination combine -in the operation of the great faculty of Memory, which is to be the -subject of the Second Book. Exercises given there will result in -further development of the imagination. - - -The Game of Creation - -Prof. Gates is credited with being the first to use the following idea -for guiding the constructive imagination in producing new ideas. He -has in the past few years used it so effectively that there are more -than one hundred articles now manufactured under the protection of -patents by the United States Government, and scores of others are being -perfected. - -Make a list of all the things in the room, then select one object and -combine it with the rest of the list and see how many new ideas will -result. This is using the constructive imagination, creating a new -whole from familiar parts. Example-- - -Floor, table, ceiling, wall, window, glass, casing, frame, stove, pipe, -damper, oilcloth, cover, rug, boards, paint, plaster, paper, picture, -frame, bench, chair, couch, morris chair, curtain, rod, lace, book, -paper, magazine, Victrola, plant, flag, etc. - -Select table, and by combining it with the other objects we will see -how some new combinations have been created, and perhaps we will create -some ourselves. - - Table--wall, suggests a table disappearing into the wall, as used - in small apartments. - - Table--oilcloth, a common article. - - Table--cover, also common. - - Table--rug, Oriental rugs are often used for table covers. - - Table--boards, the extension dining table. - - Table--chair, the combination used in dairy lunches. - - Table--book, the library table. - - Table--Victrola, a combination manufactured by the Columbia - Company. - - Table--flag, suggests the flag as a table cover. - -The longer the list the greater the possibility of finding some new -and useful idea. Business men use this idea constructively. Woolworth -combined the 5c and store, and made his fortune. Ingersol combined the -Dollar and Watch. A boat, paddles, and a steam engine resulted in the -first steamboat. - -There is no limit to the illustration, it is everywhere apparent and in -many things that you use. Every new invention or short-cut in business -will result from a new combination of existing concepts. We are now -manufacturing alcohol from sawdust, rubber from wheat. When shall we -stop? - -Play this game with the children. They will enjoy it and learn how -progress has been made and gain new and valuable ideas. An active lad -was confined to the house with a broken leg. His mother started him -playing this game and by its use he has discovered many new games. This -time it suggested kite--window, and soon, with the assistance of a -neighbor boy, he was flying his kite out of a window. - - -The Picture Gallery - -In the great home of the mind there is a room of unusual importance -which can be known as the picture gallery. Here the great artist -Imagination hangs the products of his efforts. Picture after picture -is painted by this wonderful faculty and hung in this gallery. Each of -these pictures becomes a force exerted upon the individual in whose -mind it is hung. Thought and Desire wander in this gallery incessantly, -and gaze upon the pictures there, using them as patterns for their -efforts in future. From these pictures they get their incentive and -inspiration. - -The young child's picture gallery is a wonderful room with clean, -white walls waiting for the artist to take up the task of painting and -hanging the pictures. This artist is young and inexperienced and easily -influenced and guided by one older and more accurate. - -The parents should realize that this gallery is going to be rapidly -filled with pictures, and that the choice of these pictures can -be almost entirely under their control. You can help your child's -imagination paint clean, wholesome pictures that will result in helpful -and constructive influence upon his life. But remember that these -pictures ARE BEING HUNG, whether YOU take time to help in the work or -not. - -If the pictures are negative in influence, or those suggested by wrong -companions and vulgar thoughts, the result will show itself sometime in -the future. The life will sooner or later reproduce these pictures in -personal character and action. - -Pictures which are objectionable can be replaced, or covered over by -attractive ones, which will be helpful and lead Thought into right -paths and create Desire that will be a future blessing. Remember, it -is far more difficult to replace a negative picture than to paint -a helpful one before the other has made its impression. It is very -important that you place your picture first. - -Imagination is the architect and his plans are hung upon the walls -of this picture gallery, where other faculties use them for building -the character and personality of the child. His future circumstances, -success, or failure, will be the result of this law of nature. The -contents of this picture gallery are great and powerful causes which -help bring about the desired result. - -If this truth can be sufficiently impressed upon the mind of parent -and child, both will co-operate in an effort to hang the right kind -of pictures in the gallery and the result will be a finer and more -successful life. - -Every parent should make it a duty to hang in this gallery beautiful -pictures of all the ideals which they wish to see fulfilled by -their child. Besides the ideals of growth, character, purity, etc., -there should be such pictures as a home; a life of useful service; -financial independence, and a happy old age. The details are a matter -of individual choice and should be filled in as the years pass by the -growing understanding and ambition of the child. - - - - -THE POWER OF SUGGESTION - - -Everything that the child experiences exerts an influence upon his -future. It suggests a tendency to thought or action. Once the thought -or act is indulged in, it has started the formation of habit. One act -will not create a habit, but one act will tend to induce the child to -act again in the same manner rather than go contrary to it or to vary -the method. Repeated action forms a habit, for habit is defined as a -tendency of the mind to do again what it has done before. - -Habits, of course, vary in their strength, but you must realize the -importance of the fact that the first repetitions are the important -factors, because they are the habit's beginning. If the child's -tendency is wrong do not delay changing it. Tomorrow may be too late. -There is no certain age at which child training should begin. It is -never too soon. The earlier you begin the easier it will be, and the -more pleasure and satisfaction you will derive from your children. - -The story is told of an anxious parent who went with a six-year child -to the Bishop. The mother told at great length of the difficulty she -was having with the child and asked what the proper age was to begin -training him. The Bishop's reply was: "My dear woman, you are six years -late." - -Parents who procrastinate or delay correcting wrong tendencies and -instilling right ones because "the child is too young to know better," -or "it's too soon to train him yet," will awaken to find that they have -formed a wrong habit and that the child will soon be trying to train -and rule them. - -There is no method of child training as helpful as that of Suggestion. -Inducing the child by directly spoken words to think and believe that -he is, and that he does, what you wish him to be and to do. This is -known as Direct Suggestion. This is the most difficult form to use, as -it may arouse antagonism, in which case no favorable result will be -secured. It is better to postpone the use of Direct Suggestion until -some time when you can sit down quietly and talk to the child, holding -him in your lap and first preparing his mind by story or quiet talk -of positive and constructive nature. Then make the Direct Suggestion -in a clear, definite statement. Do not stop to argue or to impress -the suggestion by moralizing. Prepare the soil of the child's mind, -plant the seed (the Direct Suggestion), cover it over and leave it to -germinate there. You do this by once clearly stating the ideal and then -passing on to some other talk or story. Do not allow the child to argue -the statement of the Suggestion. This is fatal to its germination. -Have him in a passive mood in which he is listening to all that you -say, and after you have given the Direct Suggestion and planted the -seed, pass on to something else before he starts a train of contrary -thoughts in his mind. - -If he resists and denies your statement before you can lead his mind -on, the soil was not properly prepared. Do not be discouraged, try -again. Never be discouraged or give up, if you expect to gain results -by the use of Suggestion. - -After you have succeeded in planting this seed-thought in the child's -mind, cultivate it. Do not neglect it, but return to it and emphasize -the thought at another time, and gradually induce him to think of it in -a positive manner. Tell an imaginary story which depicts the positive -side of your seed-thought, and let him know it is of him you are -thinking. - -Always be positive--never negative. Always state the thing you want -as it =now= is. Make it present tense--not even future. In suggestion -there is no place for don't, can't or any other negative statement. Do -not refer to the negative condition which you are striving to overcome. -Do not say, "Your headache is better." Leave out the headache and say -only, "You are better." A transitory term as--is becoming, or a future -term as--you will be, or a questionable effort as--try to do, should -not be used. Make your statement always positive, present tense, and -completed. As for example: "This is mama's big, strong boy." "My boy -always tells the truth." "My boy is strong and he is always kind." -"John is a gentleman, he is kind to his sister." "Sarah loves her kitty -and is kind and gentle with it." - -The story of the Scotch wife will illustrate the effect of making -negative statements. The husband was starting off on Saturday night -to the village. John had a weakness, and knowing this the wife stood -on the doorstep calling after him, "John, don't go near the saloon." -"John, don't go near the saloon." "John, don't go near the saloon." -With the best of intentions she kept repeating this as long as she -could make him hear. John needed help, but if you will stop to think a -moment you will see that the wife had continuously impressed upon his -mind "the saloon," and, true to her fears, John returned home at a very -late hour and in a sad condition. - -Suggestion to be of value must get beyond the critical and analytical -activity of the conscious mind and become placed in the sub-conscious. -If the conscious mind denies the statement, either audibly or to -itself, the sub-conscious is not influenced. The most profitable time -to plant these positive seed-thoughts is just before the child "drops -off to sleep." - -The sub-conscious mind, which is influenced by the suggestion, never -rests. It is the mind which controls the breathing, heart beat and -other "sub-conscious action" of the body. It is working all the night -through. If you fall asleep thinking in happy anticipation of some -pleasure tomorrow you will awaken in the same happy, buoyant condition -of mind. Often you have to think a moment to ascertain the reason for -your happy mental condition, then you remember, "This is the day of the -picnic." This shows how the sub-conscious has retained all through the -night the thought which was placed there just before the conscious mind -sleeps. - -Take advantage of this fact and strive to place a positive, -constructive thought upon the sub-conscious mind of your child just -before sleep. It will be held and built into character and physical -development all through the night. - - -Indirect Suggestion - -This method is usually most effective because it is applied at times -and in a manner which tends to overcome any tendency to negative -influence of the conscious mind. All have seen the pitifully bashful -child whose mother takes every opportunity to tell the visitors, =in -the child's hearing=, how bashful she is. To the child she says: "My, -you are the most bashful child I ever saw." The former statement made -to the visitor, is a negative indirect suggestion; the latter, the -statement to the child, is negative Direct Suggestion. Both of these -tend to increase the child's bashfulness. They will never overcome it. - - -Indirect Positive Suggestions - -Two parents are sitting in a living room talking; the child is playing -in the next room, or even on the floor of this one. Without paying any -attention and with the apparent intention of the child not hearing, -the mother, in an undertone, says to the father: "Have you noticed how -improved Sarah is of late; she is kind and thoughtful of her kitty, -she loves it more and is so kind and gentle with it?" Father replies: -"Isn't that nice; she is a dear, kind, gentle child." The parents go on -talking about other things not noticing the little girl. - -If you were where you could observe you would see the child stop her -play at the mention of her name, listening intently, and thinking about -what has been said. Most likely she would find her kitty and come back -loving it and demonstrating the result of mother's suggestion. - -This indirect method of sowing seed-thoughts is most effective, and -will correct errors and form right habits and character, much more -rapidly than correction, argument, or punishment. The possibilities -of the use of suggestions in child training are limitless. There are -many cases where miraculous results have been secured by intelligent, -devoted mothers. - -In the matter of health and overcoming of detrimental habits there is -no greater power than that of positive Suggestion intelligently used. -Every up-to-date and thoroughly progressive physician realizes the -power of the positive thought over the human body. During the epidemic -of Influenza which swept through the Army Camps where the boys were -being trained for overseas service, all the available ministers were -called into a large hospital to minister to the sick and dying. Before -being allowed to go among the sick soldiers they were gathered together -and given a talk by one of the head surgeons. One of the instructions -was this: In all talking with the sick there must not, under any -circumstances, be any mention or reference to death, the possibility of -death, or of any condition after death. Every thought and word must be -of health, recovery and what they are going to do after recovery. This -must be followed in conversation, letter writing for the sick, and in -prayer with them. This is an example of the modern acceptance of the -value of positive suggestion in cases of sickness. - -In matters of Child Training it is of the utmost value. Dr. Stanley -Krebbs, in his book, "The Law of Suggestion," which every parent should -read, tells many interesting examples of its use. "A little girl had -formed the habit of telling lies in order to attract attention. When -this fact was learned it was made the key of her recovery. It was -lodged in her mind that her lies caused people to avoid her, to dislike -her; but that if she were truthful she would make people like her, -would make friends and attract a great deal more attention than in any -other way. Simple! but successful." - -Quoting again from Dr. Krebbs, "Take an extreme case, Belford Russell -Lawrence, the boy criminal, testified at twelve years of age, that -among other things, his mother had often said to neighbors, referring -to him: 'That devil will hang yet.' - -"As a general rule children are what their elders expect them to be. - -"As a general rule we adults are what our fellows expect us to be." - -The story is told of a boy who was no student and hated school, he -even disliked to read. One time when there were guests at dinner there -arose a discussion of a certain point of history. The boy had just -studied this fact in school and was able to set the entire group right. -On several occasions later his mother repeated this fact to friends, -in the boy's hearing, always ending with the statement: "You know -Johnny is quite a historian." Up to that time he had had no interest -in the study, but believing that others considered him an authority on -the subject he got busy and studied up on it. He afterward became a -historian and a professor in one of the large universities. He just had -to make good, to keep up with his mother's expectation, and he did. - -Take every opportunity to tell others about the good points of your -children and the characteristics that you want them to have. Do this -when the children can hear you. Tell it to others and the child will -not disappoint you. - -The subject should be studied by every parent. There is no attempt -made to cover it in these pages, but merely to give a hint of its -possibilities in the hope that the parent will learn to use this power -constructively and wisely. - - - - -HEALTH HABITS - - -Habits are a great part of life. The forming of proper ones should have -more attention than is usually given to them. Habits is a tendency -of mind to do that which it has done before. When considered in this -simple way habit becomes one of the great forces in our lives. It is by -taking advantage of this fact that we are able to develop rapidity and -efficiency in movement. This shows itself in playing games or musical -instruments and in later life in the operation of machines in office -and factory. - -Every child begins to form habits with his first actions. He has his -individual way of dressing, which is simply the result of having -repeated this method several times. Each repetition adds to the -strength of the habit. - -To correct a habit it will be necessary for you to suggest a new method -and see to it that it is repeated a sufficient number of times to -become the stronger tendency. No habit is or can be formed without the -element of repetition. - -Realizing that children are forming habits which will follow them -through life should suggest to the parent the importance of consciously -guiding the child in their formation. Do not allow careless, -inefficient, dawdling methods to become fixed. Of course, these may in -later years be changed to more efficient methods by the child himself, -but it will be at the expense of considerable effort and loss of time. -On the other hand, many children will not correct the habits and will -be handicapped by them all through life. - -There are certain simple regulations of health that are of vital -importance to the life success of every one and the parent should -attend to their becoming habits while the child is small. - -Mental efficiency and accuracy are quickly influenced by bodily -conditions. Poor health or physical inability are never accompanied -with 100% mental efficiency. You may at once think of some examples -of men of high mental caliber who were deficient and handicapped -by physical disability. This is sometimes the case, but it is an -exception, and an illustration of success won, in spite of difficulty. -Think of what such an indomitable spirit could have accomplished in a -more perfect physical body. - - -Deep Breathing - -One of the strong influences on health is that of purifying the blood -in the lungs. Plenty of fresh air is necessary for this purifying, and -insufficient or impure air supply in the lungs will send the blood back -to the heart only partially cleansed. - -Teach the child to stand erect, to consider his position when sitting, -and at all times to demand fresh air. Do not be afraid of an open -window, always have good ventilation, especially in sleeping rooms. -Give the child a simple exercise for deep breathing and help him to -use it until he has formed the habit of taking several deep breaths of -fresh air immediately upon arising in the morning; each time he goes -out of a building into the open air; and many times during the day. -Singing, running, skipping, jumping rope, etc., are all good exercises -to stimulate deep breathing. See to it that the child breathes through -the nose. - - -Drinking Water - -Many chronic troubles result from the simple neglect to supply the body -with sufficient water. An average grown person should have two quarts -of water a day and more in warmer weather. The lack of any habitual -time for drinking this water usually results in not getting it at all. -Continued disregard of the craving of the body for water, because "it -is not convenient to get it" at the time, will result in the cessation -of this natural demand. Many persons have said, "I don't require that -much water; I never drink but a glass or two." Inquiry will reveal the -fact that these persons are usually sufferers from constipation or some -other chronic trouble. Drinking a proper amount of water will cure many -cases of constipation. - -To be sure that the child gets sufficient water adopt some systematic -time for drinking. A glass before meals is beneficial to digestion. -It stimulates the flow of the digestive juices. Drinking during meals -is not injurious under one condition, that is that no water is taken -while you have any food in the mouth. Clear the mouth of food and then -drink, do not wash your food down. Be careful not to take cold water -soon after eating hot food, there is danger of cracking the enamel of -the teeth. A habit should be formed of drinking a glass of water when -washing in the morning; wash the stomach as well as the face and hands. - -An average meal requires moisture equal to about five glasses. This is -drawn from the system if not supplied with the meal. A glass of water -before and one after each meal is an aid to digestion rather than a -detriment. Make this a habit. It is a convenient time to furnish the -amount of water required by the body, and more than the two glasses is -better than less. - -If the child is troubled with constipation or an approach to it see to -it that he gets a copious supply of water and you will find the trouble -relieved. - - -Rest and Sleep - -As long as you can continue the practice do not allow the children to -get "too old" for an afternoon rest. Even if he can not sleep, to lie -down and relax will be of very definite value to health and bodily -resistance of disease. If you are encouraging the cultivation of "the -silence" and periods of constructive thought this can be combined with -the rest period. - -Rest and relaxation should be synonymous. To be able to relax -thoroughly is of great value in the strenuous years of later life -and should be cultivated and become habitual when young. In order -that the child's sleep shall be of utmost value teach him to practice -relaxation upon lying down and always doing so before falling asleep. -This, coupled with a positive mental attitude, will make his sleep most -profitable. - -Never allow the child to go to sleep in anger or fright. Take time to -change all negative mental conditions to positive ones before you leave -him. Unless unavoidable he should not be punished before retiring. The -mental attitude in which he falls asleep will continue through the -night. Experiments have proven that fear, worry, hate, etc., produce -an actual poison in the blood and it affects the bodily condition, of -course. Blood taken from a man while in a fit of anger and injected -into a rabbit will kill the rabbit almost immediately. These facts are -not new but they need to be taken more into consideration in training -children. - - -Thinking Health - -There is no doubt in anyone's mind in these days that conditions of -mind influence conditions of the body. Positive and constructive -thinking will aid health. Your study of the subject of suggestion -shows this to be true and the results are beyond doubt. - -In cases of sickness suggestion will be found of great help. To suggest -that the child will be "better in the morning"; to suggest that he -"is better, he looks better, he acts better," etc. All these positive -thoughts are helpful. This is a deep subject and parents should give it -some careful thought and investigation. - -In cases of epidemics do not allow the child to think that he must be -taken by it. Suggest the opposite and induce him to think that he is -not going to be sick, this mixed with a generous amount of common sense -in general health conditions and reasonable caution will prove helpful -to say the least. - -All of these subjects together with those of foods and right eating, -which are very important, have been thoroughly covered by many experts -and should have the careful attention of parents. Use the best methods -possible to improve the child's physical condition, which will in turn -increase his mental efficiency. - -Unusual conditions of mind or body which are not understood by the -parent should not be allowed to "drift along" or to see if "they may -not be outgrown." Seek the advice of a reputable physician and save the -possibility of regret. - -That, "A stitch in time saves nine" is doubly true of a child's health. - - -Ambition Pulls - -From his earliest years your child is shaping his career. What he does -today wields a strong influence on what he will do tomorrow. The sooner -you realize this the better his chances of final success. - -Ambition is a great impelling force, encourage its development in your -children. With strong ambition they can get farther than with greater -ability but lacking in ambition. - -A boy sat on a fence holding a kite but not watching it as boys usually -do. A gentleman, in passing, was attracted to the boy and noticed that -he was blind. This aroused his curiosity as to what pleasure a blind -boy could get flying a kite, so he asked him: "Do you enjoy flying the -kite?" "Yes, sir," was the prompt reply. "But you cannot see it." "No, -sir; but say, mister, I can feel 'er pull." - -So is ambition, you can't see it, but "you can feel 'er pull." - - - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: - - Italicized words are surrounded with underscores: _italics_ - Emboldened words are surrounded with equals signs: =bold= - - There are inconsistencies in the Table of Contents regarding chapters - and sections. The Table of Contents is presented as it appears in the - original. - - Obvious spelling and punctuation errors have been standardized. - - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Miller's Mind training for children -Book 1, by William E. Miller - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MILLER'S MIND TRAINING *** - -***** This file should be named 54814.txt or 54814.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/8/1/54814/ - -Produced by MFR, David E. 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